President Michael D. Higgins today presented 70 Gaisce Gold Awards to young adults from the island of Ireland in recognition of their feats in community involvement, physical recreation, a residential project and an adventure journey.
“It’s a challenge that isn’t for the faint-hearted, to achieve this highly regarded award participants must have set difficult challenges for themselves,” said Mr Higgins.
“They find new resolves when they might more easily give up or adjust the target. It is a journey very much of self-discovery, but it is a journey of self-discovery in the midst of others and sharing with others. One learns much about oneself when you come up against obstacles and decide whether one wants to continue or not.”
Established in 1985, a total of six million voluntary hours have been performed by Gaisce participants, aged between 15 and 25, in their local communities over the years. Participants seeking the Gold Award must be at least 17 and must earn the honour over a minimum 18 month period. Because of the challenges they must face, the journey and not the end result often proves the most rewarding.
“I have gained such confidence and such self-determination,” said Nadine Lattimore of North County Dublin.
Ms Lattimore, who is visually impaired, also represented Ireland in the London Paralympics on the Shot Putt team and has already achieved silver and bronze awards.
“It’s hard to explain how something can just change your life completely. It started off in transition year just as an achievement award, just something that you add up the hours to. But now it’s like a way of life. It’s kind of who I am. It’s a way of explaining yourself.”
Along with a new sense of personal identity, the experiences can also provide a different outlook on the world. For her adventure project, Maria McNulty, from Foxford Co Mayo, spent time rebuilding classrooms in Kenya.
“It was a wonderful experience. I’ve never taught children who were so happy and so enthusiastic about life, even though they really have nothing. They don’t have running water, electricity. Most of them don’t have shoes. They wear rags of clothes to school. That for me, I found, affected me greatly,” said Ms McNulty.
“We don’t realise how well off we are sometimes, and we have to be grateful, even though at the minute unemployment rates are high and all you hear is talk about the recession. But actually we are a lot more well off than a lot of people in the world, and we should try and help those we can.”