Celebrating Gaisce Gold Award achievements at Kare
- Kare
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
We are delighted to share that two members of the Kare community, Alan Murray and Emmett Mangan have received their Gold Gaisce Awards. The prestigious awards were presented by President Catherine Connolly at a ceremony in the Irish Museum of Modern Art on Monday 15 December.
The Gold Award is the highest level of Gaisce – The President’s Award, Ireland’s national youth award programme. It recognises sustained commitment to personal development, community involvement and physical activity, as well as completion of an extended Adventure Journey.
Both Alan and Emmett demonstrated real perseverance over the course of their Gaisce journeys, and their commitment to seeing the programme through is a credit to them both. They completed their Adventure Journey in Wexford in May 2024.The Gaisce Gold Award requires participants to commit to all three challenge areas over a sustained timeframe, alongside a multi-day Adventure Journey that promotes teamwork, planning and independence.
As part of his award, Alan undertook shopping as his Personal Skill, litter picking as his Community Involvement activity and hiking for his Physical Recreation challenge. Emmett completed photography as his Personal Skill, community garden work as his Community Involvement and swimming as his Physical Recreation activity.
Presenting the awards, President Connolly said: “To everyone receiving an award, each of your individual stories reminds us of the immense potential that lies within each and every one of you no matter the circumstances. You have acquired new skills and improved old ones and discovered that with practice and diligence you are more capable than you had known.
“It is sometimes difficult to imagine the difference that any single individual can make, but your achievements have shown what is possible. You have taken courage in your hands with countless acts of kindness, compassion and solidarity. I can tell you have made an enormous difference.”
Two other people supported by Kare, Brian Byrne and David Nulty, have also successfully completed their Gold Award challenges but were unable to attend the ceremony on this occasion. They will be presented with their awards at a later event next year.
The ceremony was also attended by Frieda Bent and Helen Farrell, two of Kare's President's Award Leaders (PALs), who provided support throughout the Gaisce journeys.
Completing a Gaisce Gold Award is a significant achievement and reflects the dedication, resilience and community spirit shown by all four participants.
Congratulations to each of the Gold awardees on this fantastic achievement! Please watch the short video below about Emmett and Alan's journeys.