Monaghan and Cavan councils shortlisted for seven awards

Cavan has been recognised in four categories and Monaghan in three in this year's Excellence in Local Government Awards

THE county councils in Cavan and Monaghan have received seven nominations between them in this year’s Excellence in Local Government Awards.

The Awards recognise the broad work of local authorities and highlights their important activity all around the country.

Each of the 16 awards categories focus on a different aspect of council work and how the projects shortlisted have positively impacted the lives of people in their communities.

Some of the categories include Sustainable Environment & Biodiversity, Health and Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion, Heritage and Built Environment and Promoting Urban Revival.

Monaghan County Council has been shortlisted in the Innovation, Climate Change and Communications categories.

The Monaghan Area Retrofit Initiative (MABRI), which was launched in May, aims to deliver energy upgrades to over 100 homes in the county. While 53 council-owned homes are to receive fully-funded energy upgrades, 60 private homes have also sought energy efficient retrofits.

The local authority in Monaghan has also been shortlisted in the Innovation section for ‘The Project Children Stories - A Legacy of Peace Lives on in Monaghan’.

In October 2025, to mark the 50th anniversary of Project Children, Monaghan County Council launched an exhibition and permanent archive.

Through personal memories, photographs, artefacts and recorded testimonies, The Project Children Stories exhibition currently running at Monaghan Peace Campus celebrates the experiences, friendships and lasting legacy of the children who travelled through this unique cross-community programme.

Cavan County Council has also received recognition for some of its arts projects including Oiliúint Gaeilge in the Irish Language and Culture category and in the Sustaining the Arts section for ‘Dance Connects’.

Oiliúint Gaeilge is an internal staff training initiative focused on the Irish language and culture while Dance Connects is a cross-border project supporting interrelations between people and place through dance.

Cavan County Council also received recognition for its “Art of Life” project in the Age Friendly Initiative group.

The Art of Life is a project that uses art and creativity to facilitate end-of-life discussions within communities through music, art, and facilitated conversations, helping to encourage future health planning and legacy preparation.

Cavan General Hospital has unveiled ‘Art of Life’ installations within its palliative care family rooms and viewing room, creating more compassionate, calming, and dignified spaces for patients, families, and staff at some of the most sensitive moments of care.

There was also recognition for the ‘Created in Cavan’ food and drink network in the Promoting Economic Development awards category.

Monaghan has been nominated for Tackling Dereliction in Monaghan: Croí Cónaithe in Action.

The shortlisted project showcases how Monaghan County Council used a dedicated video storytelling campaign to highlight the impact of the Croí Cónaithe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.

Featuring real homes and real stories, the campaign demonstrated how vacant and derelict properties are being transformed and returned to use, helping to revitalise communities while increasing awareness and uptake of the scheme.

Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council Carmel Brady said she is “delighted” with the local authority’s four nominations in this year’s awards.

“To have secured four nominations amid stiff competition nationally is testament to the excellent work that Cavan County Council is undertaking on behalf of the people of Cavan,” Cllr Brady said.

She congratulated all the staff, partner agencies, and members of the local community who helped make the projects such as a success and wished all the nominees “the very best of luck.”

Chief Executive of Monaghan County Council, Robert Burns, added: "These nominations reflect our commitment to innovation, sustainability, community development and cultural leadership.

We are proud to see these initiatives recognised at national level and wish the project teams every success in the awards.”

The Excellence in Local Government Award winners will be announced on November 26, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin.

Awards will be presented for excellence in 16 different categories, and one Local Authority will be named Local Authority of the Year 2026.