One of the highlights in the Gaisce calendar is our annual Gaisce Gold Award ceremony, with this year’s event taking place on November 21st, 2024. President Michael D. Higgins proudly awarded 73 exceptional young people with their Gaisce Gold Award Medals,Â
The Gold Awardees this year represent 17 counties and collectively completed more than 3,458 hours of volunteering throughout their Gaisce journey. 16 of the 73 awardees came through access and inclusion pathways. Â
Gaisce participants this year mastered many skills, activities and projects, from learning Irish Sign Language and Chinese to hiking some of Ireland’s most challenging peaks, volunteering in youth and community work, learning a musical instrument and developing their leadership skills. Â
Our keynote speaker this year was Miriam Keegan, a former Gaisce Gold Awardee, who shared her inspiring journey from participating in Gaisce to becoming a leader in the sustainable fashion industry. We were also delighted to welcome back Irish actor and Comedian Tara Flynn MC, who kept the audience entertained and laughing.Â
The Gaisce team would like to congratulate all this year’s awardees; it was a joy to share in the celebration with young people from so many different walks of life.Â
A special thank you to President Higgins and his wife, Sabina, for hosting this special event and for their continued support for young people all around Ireland.Â
Watch highlights from the Gold Awards Ceremony here:Â
Congratulations to our 2024 Gold Awardees!
Aoife McElroy (Ballybay Community College),
Muireann Devlin (Bandon Grammar School),
Alessandro Biffi (Belvedere College),
Susan O’Donovan (Christ King Girls Secondary School),
Liam Vickers (City of Dublin Education and Training Board),
Hugh Patrick Tunney (Clongowes Wood College),
Adelaide Thermes Kane (Coláiste Chill Mhantáin),
David Lynch (Cope),
Nicola Moran (Cope),
Florin Nolan (Cope),
Rebecca Pearson (Cope),
James McAvoy (St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon),
Meabh Hughes (St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon),
Gabriela Mazgyte (St Catherines College, Armagh),
Philip Hoy (Carrickfergus Grammar School),
Aislinn McAleenan (Sacred Heart Grammar School),
Ailish Bradley (Dolphin Guide Company),
Darragh Galvin (DORAS Training & Employment),
Conor Hennessy (DORAS Training & Employment),
Niamh Lynch (Galway University),
Enda Brien (Garbally College – Ballinasloe),
Hannah Needham (Irish Red Cross – Dublin 15),
Conor Deane (Irish Wheelchair Association, Belmullet),
Lorena Doherty (Irish Wheelchair Association, Belmullet),
Roisin King (Irish Wheelchair Association, Belmullet),
Shauna McAndrew (Irish Wheelchair Association, Belmullet),
Sean McGrath (Irish Wheelchair Association, Belmullet),
Dara Ward (Kildare Volunteer Centre).
Eleanor McGinley (Kildare Volunteer Centre),
Michael Moyles (Kildare Volunteer Centre),
Conor McCrory (Kildare Volunteer Centre),
Aoibhinn Coffey (Killorglin Community College),
Alice Fitzgerald (Loreto Bray),
Sinead Kelly (Loreto Bray),
Ava Hagan (Loreto Bray),
Jessica McInerney (Louth Volunteer Centre),
Eva Murray (Marino Institute of Education),
Abbie Curley (Music Matters),
Conor Fallon (Music Matters),
Harry Stephen Kingsland (Music Matters),
Shane Brereton (Oatlands College),
Dónal Brereton (Oatlands College),
Gillian Fogarty (Our Lady’s Secondary Tipp),
Eben Abraham (Pipers Hill College),
Orla Doyle (Pipers Hill College),
Gabriel Morut (Pipers Hill College),
Daniel Soluns (Pipers Hill College),
Claire Varwijk (Pipers Hill College),
Cathal Bradley (Rathmore Social Action Group),
Elaine Nagle (Rathmore Social Action Group),
Hazel Cogavin (Roscommon Disability Support Group),
Sophie Bell (Royal School Cavan),
Claire Hennebry (Scoil Mhuire Greenhills Carrick),
Aoife O’Shea (Scouting Ireland),
Alia Hamzawi (St Colmcille’s Community School),
Michael Lynch (St Joseph’s Foundation),
Sean Quish (St Joseph’s Foundation),
Luke Hanley (St Joseph’s Foundation),
Matthew Evans Walsh (St Michael’s House Baldoyle),
Donal Murphy (St Michael’s House Baldoyle),
Erin Delaney (St Patrick’s Academy),
Oisin Devlin (St Patrick’s Academy),
Adam Donnelly (St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon),
Katie Rooney (St Vincent’s Centre),
Kate Browne (St Vincent’s Centre),
Sarah Jane McEntee (St Vincent’s Centre),
Clayton Kelly (Tess Training Centre),
David Mullins (Tess Training Centre),
Sarah Stafford (University College Cork),
Tahsin Ibne Kamal Labib (University of Galway),
Tara McLaughlin (University of Galway),
Ebunoluwa Jamgbadi (Westmeath Volunteer Centre).