Kildare nominees take on Pride of Place Competition
This photo is for illustrative purposes only
TWO Kildare nominees are representing the county in the upcoming 2026 IPB Pride of Place Competition, which is set to come to a close at the Gala Awards ceremony in Dublin this November.
The IPB Pride of Place Competition celebrates unsung community heroes and their voluntary work. These groups make a significant difference in their communities, inspiring friends and neighbours to get involved and improving the lives of all. It is affectionately known as the “Community Oscars”.
Kildare County Council has supported this competition for several years and has nominated two inspirational groups for their efforts in 2026:
Carbury Village, nominated in the 0-300 Category, is a small rural community in North Kildare with a population of approximately 200 people. Their strong volunteer led work programme has delivered several initiatives in the village over recent years. Their aim is to enhance the visual impact of the village, delivering a variety of projects such as landscaping features, the installation of outdoor gym equipment and contactless water dispenser, flag poles, a box hedge project at the main R402/R403 roundabout, installation of a replica telephone box and various history boards to acknowledge the strong historical significance of the village.
They place an emphasis on sustainability, biodiversity, and climate action projects in line with Kildare County Council policies bringing the local community, and their extended families and friends together to help sustain and develop Carbury.
Also nominated this year is the Community Cancer Caregivers, in the Community Wellbeing Category. The group has a vision of a community where patients diagnosed with cancer no longer feel isolated, but instead are supported in their community, by the community. They strive to allow patients the time to care for themselves and focus on their treatment, while home care packages are provided by the community to support families with children aged 16 and under.
What began as a local response to families in crisis has grown into a trusted support network helping families across Kildare and beyond, while always remaining deeply rooted in the community spirit, volunteerism, and kindness that inspired the charity from the very beginning.
Kildare County Council has said that it wishes the two finalists the best of luck in the competition as the National Judges visit Kildare this week.
