Gráinne Seoige to present awards ceremony for fifth consecutive year

 

The National Lottery has unveiled five brand new installations in St. Stephens Green, Dublin, which showcases a selection of inspiring Good Causes from all around the country. 

The National Lottery Good Causes Exhibition is visible in the park until 29^th of April and aims to shine a light on the great people behind our Good Causes, by highlighting some remarkable workers, volunteers, and service users who drive positive change within our communities, supported by National Lottery funding.  

Michael Joe Cox has been a service user of a National Lottery Good Cause, Irish Red Cross Clare and spoke of the impact the charity has had on his life: “I’ve been availing of the services provided by Irish Red Cross Clare for the past five years and I can safely say they’ve changed my life. Whether it's taking me to a hospital appointment or helping me get some shopping, it gives me great peace of mind to know they’re always there when I need them. I’ve built a great relationship with the volunteers, who are always at the other end of the phone. It’s an imperative service for someone like me in a wheelchair”, he said.

The National Lottery has also officially extended their application deadline by a week for this year’s Good Causes Awards from Thursday 4^th of April to Friday 12^th of April. Local or national, large or small, the awards will honour the inspiring work of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals from all over Ireland who, with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding, have had an extraordinary impact on their communities. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, 12^th of October 2024 in Kilashee House Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare. 

The National Lottery Good Causes Awards is delighted to announce that Grainne Seoige will present the awards ceremony for her fifth consecutive year. The gala event will also welcome a host of very special and famous faces presenting awards to our finalists on the night. 

Seven categories of Good Causes will be recognized at the awards: Sport, Health & Wellbeing, Arts & Culture, Heritage, Community, Youth, and Irish Language. Each category winner will receive €10,000 while the overall Good Cause of the Year will receive €25,000. A special category, ‘Hero of the Year’, will be announced on the awards night in recognition of outstanding work, the recipient will receive a prize of €5,000.  

Gráinne Seoige, host of the Good Causes Awards 2024, said: “Once again, I am absolutely delighted to have the privilege of presenting the National Lottery Good Causes Awards. It's truly inspiring to be in a room filled with organisations, groups and volunteers who dedicate themselves tirelessly to improving their communities. To those beneficiaries who haven't yet applied, I urge you not to miss this opportunity – the application deadline has been extended by another week. Let's continue to celebrate and recognise the incredible impact of your work."

Individuals, community projects and organisations who received Good Causes funding between the years 2019 and 2023 are eligible to apply. Applications for the Awards are now open, and beneficiaries can enter and check eligibility at www.lottery.ie/goodcausesawards  

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 Billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 36 years ago. In 2022 alone, €259.5 Million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.   

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