Athy man to be awarded for work in addiction recovery

Athy campaigner David Delaney and Michelle Robertson from Laois are set to be honoured as unsung heroes at the 2026 Lovely Laois festival.

This accolade acknowledges the pair’s commitment to addiction and recovery services for the Laois area, through their Arc Project.

The Arc Project was launched in October 2024 in response to the visible lack of services for families with someone living in active addiction or those who have experienced addiction, says co-founder Delaney.

For the last year, Arc has focused on providing a 100 per cent voluntary, peer-led family support service, but Delaney, who is based in Co Laois, says that in the new year they are actively expanding into recovery services for individuals.

“Arc, A-R-C, stands for Addiction Recovery Community”, he continues.

“The community side of things is obviously your family and that kind of stuff, and the recovery is what we're focusing on for 2026.” Addiction support services are at capacity, says Delaney, with weeks-long waiting lists for services and treatment.

“We believe that addiction recovery services should be accessible 24/7, instantly”, he says.

Arc has partnered with a US organisation called OpenRecovery, which has developed an app for those in recovery. The interface incorporates a support dashboard with a live element to facilitate online groups and one-on-one communication.

It also uses AI to deliver round-the-clock support. Says Delaney: “At three o 'clock in the morning, if someone has a question, there's an AI-powered service that is accessible in any language 24/7”.

The Lovely Laois festival was founded in 2025 by Trudi Lalor to celebrate local arts, music, culture, and food across County Laois.

Her vision is partly inspired by a desire to see Laois people the world over return, reconnect, and reunite.

Delaney and Robertson will be acknowledged as unsung heroes at the 2026 festival for their work with Arc.

Previous recipients of this acknowledgment include PATH (Portlaoise Action to Homelessness); Jack McDonald, founder of The Laois People Worldwide; Christy Cullen, songwriter; and Ger Thompson, Chairman of The Laois Association in Dublin.

Delaney hopes the acknowledgement will help to break the stigma around addiction.

“It should be a supportive thing”, he says.

“If you have say, MS or Parkinson's or cancer, it is an illness. Addiction is a recognised illness, but the stigma is still out there, and particularly in small communities.” “For us to be recognised locally at that level has shown that there is a need for what we do.”