A total of 24 individuals and organisations were honoured for their commitment and dedication to road safety at this year’s ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards, and among the recipients were Oldcastle Foróige Club.
Following a serious road collision in which a number of previous club members were involved in a serious road crash, the Oldcastle Foróige Youth Club took action and asked members of the community to take responsibility for their behaviour on the roads. The message was brought to the community at the Oldcastle St Patrick’s Day Parade – change one thing and help to reduce the number of road fatalities and injuries. The club members set up a stand at Oldcastle Agricultural Show and asked members of the community to promise to change one thing about the way they use the roads. They then provided those who signed up with road safety material.
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Paschal Donohoe TD said:
“In every corner of this country, there are individuals, groups and organisations who are working to make the roads safer for everyone. They aren’t looking for praise or even recognition – they are driven simply by a need to ensure that fewer families suffer the tragic loss of a loved one. That’s why I am delighted that every year, these ‘unsung heroes’ are recognised and honoured at the ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety Awards’. Congratulations to everyone who received an award today and on behalf of everyone who uses the roads, thank you for your commitment and dedication to making them a safer place.”
Liz O’Donnell, Chairperson of the RSA presented the awards, saying:
“This is one of the most important events for the Road Safety Authority every year, as it gives us an opportunity to honour the people who are making a real difference in road safety. From primary school students developing road safety websites, businesses making road safety a real priority for their employees, and journalists helping to raise awareness of the devastation of road collisions – I am proud to be here today to present these awards to such extraordinary individuals and organisations. I thank you for the work that you do, every day, and for the example you set us all in keeping our roads free from death and injury.”
The road safety project carried out by Oldcastle Foróige Club was also a Gold Star Award winner at the Foróige Youth Citizenship Awards in partnership with Aldi Ireland in October.