RADE won an Aontas Star Award in the Health and Wellness Category at the annual Aontas awards at Croke Park on Friday 7th March 2025.
After receiving the exciting news that RADE had been shortlisted for an Aontas star award, we were invited to attend a judging event on February 6th 2025. The RADE team of two staff members and two participants were interviewed by judges and filmed for clips to be screened at the upcoming awards ceremony. We were thrilled to make the shortlist and enjoyed meeting and talking to other shortlisted organisations as we waited for our slots with the judges and the film crew.
A month later, on March 7th 2025, Aontas hosted all the shortlisted organisations at a glittering awards event at Croke Park. We were treated to interactive entertainment from champion bhodrán player Robbie Walsh of The Bodhrán Buzz. Imagine our collective surprise when under every table we discovered a bhodrán for each of us. Robbie then led us in a giant bhodrán ensemble piece which energised the room with its distinctive rhythms, building excitement for the imminent announcements of the award winners.
We were also addressed by Dearbháil Lawless Aontas CEO, John D’Arcy Chairperson of the Aontas Board, and SOLAS CEO Andrew Brownlee, (co-sponsors of the event) all of whom talked about the importance of adult education and the roles we play in making it available.
Pauline McGlynn, actor and author, also spoke to the gathering about her experiences of learning and what she sees as the great optimism and power in making a choice to be an adult learner.
We watched inspiring short film clips of all the shortlisted organisations. It was a proud moment to see one of our participants on the big screen watched by a captive audience of 170 people talking about the importance of RADE in her life. “RADE will give you wings” she concluded.
We felt honoured to be chosen alongside so many other outstanding organisations who do so much to validate the importance and role of adult education in the community across the whole island of Ireland. It was also wonderful to see so many adult learners proudly representing their respective communities at the event.
Our award category ‘Health and Wellness” had two winners, one in the small/medium organisation category and one in the large organisation category. We were delighted that our co-winners were our Dublin 8 neighbours, The Blocks, an animated short film project from Rialto Community Drug Team and City of Dublin Education and Training Board who won in the large organisation category. Our category was sponsored by Mental Health Ireland and we would like to extend our thanks to them also.
Over 100 organisations competed for these national awards and over 30 of those were in the Health and Wellness Category. It means so much to all of us to be chosen amongst our esteemed peers and to see our work validated and applauded by a national organisation such as Aontas.
Aontas is Ireland’s National Adult Learning Organisation. Their mission is “to advocate for empowering adult learning that drives social equality, justice, and collective action across the island of Ireland” – Aontas Mission Statement Strategic Plan 2023-2026 https://www.aontas.com/
On receiving the award, our Project Director Gill McCaw spoke about adult education.
“Adult Education is not always available. Adult Education is not always an option. Adult Education is not always achievable. It takes time, it takes resources, it takes self-belief.
Thankfully we are here today to celebrate communities which cherish those things. Communities who make it available, who make it an option and who make it achievable. But this award is for our participants who take the brave step and put themselves forward for education, to find their voice. So thank you for giving us a reason to be here. “
The award event was topped off by an invitation to appear on Ireland AM a few days later. We hosted Ireland AM presenter Deric Hartigan and his cameraman at our premises and enjoyed a taste of live television with all its excitement and energy.
The RADE building was all abuzz with people by 7.30 am including RADE staff and participants, staff from Aontas, and fellow award winners Welcome English Language Centre, Cork who won a star award in the Social Inclusion: Small/Medium Organisation Category. Our Ireland AM segment showcased the Aontas awards and Aontas’ work promoting adult education alongside an opportunity for both RADE and Welcome English to talk about what we do. It was a very proud moment to be talking about RADE on National Television. Click here for a taster Virgin Media’s Ireland AM are in the house! and visit the dedicated post on our website
A selection of photos from the awards at Croke Park
You can read more about the awards here on the Aontas website. Aontas Star Awards
Links to all other organisations in the Health and Wellness category are included here:
Co-winners The Blocks and Rialto Community Drug Team https://rialtocommunitydrugteam.org/films/
Clondalkin recovery Choir https://recoverychoir.wordpress.com/
Community Connections Older Women / Ballybeen Women’s Centre https://www.facebook.com/BallybeenWomensCentre
Smart 360 Recovery https://start360.org/how-can-we-help-you/adept
Integrate Dance https://www.facebook.com/people/Integrate-Performing-Arts-Group/100042130976356/
With thanks to our award sponsors Mental Health Ireland and overall sponsors Aontas and Solas.
