Young people honoured in annual Kildare Garda Youth Awards

Ten prestigious Garda Youth Awards were presented at Punchestown at the annual Kildare Garda
Youth Awards in association with Newbridge Silverware on Friday.

The event was attended by a host of dignitaries including MC for the evening 2FM’s Keith Walsh, An Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Garda Chief Superintendent John Scanlan, Superintendent Oliver
Henry and Newbridge Silverware’s Martin Kilduff and Simone Hassett-Costelloe.

The overall winner announced on the night was Castlefen Young Men’s Group, which provides young
men from the area of the Castlefen estate in Sallins support through participation in sport and
engagement in personal development and drug education programmes.

The group are supported by the FAI (Late Night Leagues), Kildare County Council, Foroige, Naas Rotary Club and An Garda Siochana.

The Special Achievement Award this year went to a thoroughly deserving individual, Valeria
Baxaneanu from Leixlip. Valeria arrived in Ireland in August 2016 and she spoke no English. Her
father became very ill in 2018 and there was a risk of the family not being able to stay in Ireland.
Valeria cared for her father and with help of the staff in Confey College, Valeria went onto to achieve
fantastic results in her Leaving Certificate is now attending Maynooth University. All of the staff at
Confey College that knew her are in awe of her achievements and her composure in the face of
adversity.

There were eight other award categories presented on the night with Leah Doyle and Roisin Hobson
from Coláiste Chiarain Community School in Leixlip taking the Group Award. The girls took the
initiative to set up and run a breakfast club in their school each Friday morning. Colaiste Chiarain in
Leixlip has a broad socio-economic catchment and there are children who are attending the school
who are living in poverty. The breakfast club caters for some of these children. It is hard to imagine
the impact that this has had on some of the students and the girl’s contribution cannot be
underestimated. The fact that this is a peer-to-peer initiative and is so successful is testimony to the
two girls. There is now an established group that are supported each Friday in the breakfast club,
with anywhere between 30 and 40 students per week.

A Community Safety Award was presented to Grainne Christie from Kilcock who initiated the
establishment of the Community First Responders in Kilcock. The Community First Responders went
live in December, 2019 and there are currently 36 volunteers involved with the group and since going
live the Community First Responders in Kilcock have responded to a number of emergencies. Since
going live, Grainne co-ordinators the activities of the group.

There were also two Garda Youth Awards presented for each Garda District within the Division of Co.
Kildare and the winners were announced as Anastasia Popusoi and The Ahahas Youth Group from
the Leixlip District, Naomi Moore and Sam Downey from the Kildare District and Adam Stacey-Hayes
and Aoife Jones from the Naas District. Each recipient has overcome personal challenges and
contributes enormously to their local communities in many ways.
This is the fourth year of the Kildare Garda Youth Awards in association with Newbridge Silverware.
The awards celebrate outstanding young people between the ages of 13 and 21 years.

Kildare Gardaí along with Newbridge Silverware recognise that a lot of good work is being done by young people in every community throughout the county, which should be awarded.