Cill Dara le Gaeilge wins big at National Lottery Good Causes Awards

An Irish Language organisation in Co. Kildare has won big at this year’s National Lottery Good Causes Awards 2024.

Cill Dara le Gaeilge won the top prize in the Irish Language category, earning an impressive €10,000.

Cill Dara le Gaeilge is revitalising the Irish language in Kildare by seamlessly integrating it into all aspects of everyday life. The group supports businesses, community groups, and youth organisations in offering services and events in Irish, such as language classes, conversation circles, Pop Up Gaelteachthaí, annual language planning seminar, Féile na Sollán, Naas Street Festival, storytelling for children, and much more.

Due to the dedication of Cill Dara le Gaeilge and the support of National Lottery Good Causes funding, the Irish language is flourishing across the county. A strong network has been created between the county’s Irish-language school communities and the rest of the community. One of the highlights of the group’s year is the Naas Street Festival, which takes place on St Patrick’s Day, at the end of Seachtain na Gaeilge. It is the only Irish festival held outside of the Gaeltacht on St Patrick’s Day. Funding support allows Cill Dara le Gaeilge to offer all festival activities for free at this family-friendly event.

With the launch of their second strategic plan, Cill Dara le Gaeilge are not just promoting Irish; they’re transforming how it’s lived and spoken across the county now and for future generations. The National Lottery Good Causes Awards are delighted to honour their achievements as the 2024 Irish Language category winners.

The event also saw Hand in Hand Cancer Charity in Galway crowned as the overall Good Cause of the Year 2024 and the winner in the Health and Wellbeing category. This nationwide charity works tirelessly with families affected by cancer, offering free, on-the-ground support to help ease the burden of long-distance travel for treatment and the emotional toll of a diagnosis. Their services aim to reduce the stress associated with cancer, making a meaningful impact on families facing one of life’s toughest challenges.

This year’s Good Causes Awards ceremony took place in Killashee House Hotel in Co. Kildare. Marty Whelan hosted the event and was joined by a star-studded line-up of guest presenters who handed out category awards, including TV personality Daithí Ó Sé, author and radio presenter Anna Geary, the inspiring Deborah Somorin, renowned architect and TV presenter Hugh Wallace and dancing sensation Arthur Gourounlian.

The Awards are made up of seven categories: Sport, Health & Wellbeing, Heritage, Arts & Culture, Community, Youth and Irish Language.

A special award category, ‘Hero of the Year’, recognises the outstanding work done by an individual within an organisation.

This year’s Hero of the Year winner is Evelyn Neary, founder of Cian’s Kennels. In the face of deep personal loss, Evelyn has turned her grief into a powerful force for good. As the founder of Cian's Kennels, Evelyn built a dedicated team of volunteers, fostered crucial partnerships, and implemented strong governance to ensure the organisations success. Most importantly, she has brought comfort and joy to families during some of their most challenging times. “Imaginative. Resilient. Determined”, these are just a few words that encapsulate the remarkable spirit of the National Lottery Hero of the Year 2024, Evelyn Neary.

On the night, a total of €100,000 was awarded. The seven category winners each received €10,000; the Hero of the Year received €5,000 and the overall Good Cause of the Year, Hand in Hand received an additional €25,000.

Cian Murphy, Chief Executive of the National Lottery, said: “On behalf of the National Lottery, I want to extend our warmest congratulations to Hand in Hand, as well as to all our outstanding category winners. The work you do to make a tangible, positive difference in people's lives is nothing short of inspiring. It’s been a true privilege to stand alongside such a diverse range of organisations, each benefiting from Good Causes funding, and each playing a vital role in creating a better, more compassionate society."

This year’s National Lottery Good Causes Award winners are:

National Lottery Good Cause of the Year – Hand in Hand CLG, Galway

Arts and Culture - Helium Arts, Westmeath

Community - South Meath Social Economy, Meath

Health and Wellbeing - Hand in Hand CLG, Galway

Heritage - Maharees Conservation Association, Kerry

Irish Language: Cill Dara le Gaeilge, Kildare

Sport: Mullingar Handball Club, Westmeath

Youth: Belong To LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland, Dublin

Hero of the Year: Evelyn Neary, Cian’s Kennels, Longford

Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on all National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage, and the Irish Language. In total, more than €6.5 Billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 37 years ago. In 2023 alone, €227.9 Million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.

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