Spirit of Moyle Awards 2012

It is with great delight that the we are announcing our very first “Spirit of Moyle Awards”.  The thinking behind these awards is to recognise some of those unsung heroes within our local community who have gone that extra mile to help make it a better place.

There are three categories as detailed below:

1.       Young Carer (must be age 18 or under at 30^th April 2012)

To recognise someone who has acted as a carer within the community.  They may care for you or for someone else within the wider community.

2.       Young Volunteer (must be age 18 or under at 30^th April 2012)

To recognise an individual who has volunteered in one or more capacities where their input has helped make a difference.

3.       Community Champion (all ages)

To recognise an individual who has done something special in some form within the community. It is open to all age groups and hopes to recognise someone who has excelled within the community to help make it shine.

Who can nominate?

Nominations are open to everyone.  We may need to get in touch with you so please provide your contact number and address with your nomination.

Who can I nominate?

Anyone you feel fits the category – you can nominate more than one person in each category if you know more than one person who deserves that award.  We may need to contact the nominee so please provide a contact number and or address for them or their parent or guardian if they are under 18.

How do I nominate?

Nomination forms can be found here


You will need to complete a form for each nomination indicating the category you wish to vote in.  You can submit completed nomination forms:

• by post to Ballycastle Rotary Awards, c/o 10 Main Street, Armoy BT53 8RQ
• or by emailing ballycastlerotaryawards@gmail.com

If you have difficulty with accessing the forms, nominations will be accepted if the full information required is provided in writing.

What happens after I nominate?

A panel will consider all nominations carefully and whittle the nominations down to a final three in each category before deciding on the winners of the 2012 awards.  If you have nominated you may be contacted and asked to provide further information and nominees may be contacted to ensure they are happy to be considered for the award. The decision reached by the Panel will be final.

When do I have to have my nomination in by?

The closing date for entries is 30^th April 2012 and the winners will be presented with their awards in June 2012.


So get your thinking caps on and get those nominations in before the end of April! 

Club Round Up

We have been busy getting ideas together for some fantastic fundraising for 2012.  Over the next few months we are hoping to build on the achievements of last year with a number of events in the pipeline already so we thought it would be nice to have a round up on what has happened so far and what we hope to happen over the next few months...  

2011 was a busy year for us with notable milestones including the Inaugural Meeting in June with the Charter Weekend in October which marked the conception of us as the 75^th Rotary Club in Ireland.  The weekend brought in a number of guests from all over the UK and Ireland for a spectacular showcase for not only the Club but for the local area itself. The weekend was a huge success thanks to the large number of local people and businesses that helped make it a real treat for the visitors and locals alike. 

As well as the Charter Night Dinner itself there was a night of entertainment from local musicians, dancers and performers at Ballycastle Golf Club, storytelling from Danny McGill and Liz Weir, a civic reception hosted by Chairman of Moyle Council, Paudie McShane, a complimentary coach trip showing off the beauty of the area courtesy of McGinn’s Coaches with the weekend ending on a note of relaxation thanks to Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd kindly transporting guests to Rathlin for an outing.  B&Bs in the area offered guests a haven among activities and a chance to experience some North Antrim hospitality.

We were involved in the Rotary’s Youth Leadership programme and had the pleasure of meeting students from Cross and Passion and Ballycastle High School.  Special thanks go to Mrs Irene Kerr and Mrs Una Kelly for helping with the competition as well as to the pupils themselves for taking part. We were proud to have Sarah McKinley represent the Club at the Regional Finals in Carrickfergus in November. 

In terms of fundraising, the Club with the generous help of the Central Winebar, Ballycastle hosted its first Charity Breakfast in April which proved a massive hit.  There was a Rotary ballot for a Peugeot 107 with tickets being sold at the Lammas Fair in August with the lucky winner of the raffle announced as Alistair Laird from Cookstown.  We also held a quiz in the Central Bar, Ballycastle in December which despite the weather (and the ensuing power cut!) proved to be a well supported and much enjoyed event with teams coming from all over the province.  The quiz was kindly hosted by Maurice and Marie McHenry and supported widely by locals and businesses with a whole host of prizes donated on the night including a festive hamper, sweets, bottles of wine and vouchers which were given out to the lucky winners.  The money raised was to fund Rotary Charities.

Some of the charities which have benefited from our fundraising efforts so far have included Good Morning Ballycastle, NI Cancer Fund for Children and the Ballycastle MS Centre.  The Club is determined to help as many local causes as possible and now looks forward to the events planned for 2012.

Our next big event will be a “Night at the Races” starting at 8pm on 23^rd March in the Central Bar, Ballycastle which will be an excuse to not only raise some much needed funds for charity but also promises to be a greats night’s craic where you also have the chance to sponsor your horse beforehand as well as betting on the night. You can sponsor a horse by contacting a Rotary member before 9^th March who will help get you a race!  There might even be some fun spot prizes on the night to be won too!

We also hope to repeat if not better the success of our last charity breakfast with a Breakfast being held on 21^st April in the Central, Ballycastle. 

This year will see The Rotary Club of Ballycastle host the first “Spirit of Moyle Awards”.  These awards will recognise some of the people within the local area who have made a real difference in the community. Anyone can nominate in the three categories including “Young Carer”, “Young Volunteer” and “Community Champion” with a carefully selected panel choosing the winners who will be presented with their awards at the President’s Ball in June.

The Club continues to be on the lookout for new and exciting ways to help causes both locally and further afield.  It is inviting local charities and organisations who feel they could benefit from the Club’s support to submit an application to the secretary for consideration.  Applications should include some background information, reasons why you feel the Club should support your cause during this term of office and your contact details.  This should be sent to the secretary at Mary O’Driscoll, 11 North Street, Ballycastle BT54 6NB or by emailing ciaranandmary@hotmail.com by 31^st March 2012.  For more information you can also contact Mary by phone 07553359596.

The Club depends on your support to help make each of its fundraising events a success and is always open to new members who think their input could make a difference.  Meetings are held at 7.30pm on Tuesdays in the Central Bar, Ballycastle. You can keep up to date with news and events both here and at www.facebook.com/BallycastleRotaryClub

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Welcome to the Rotary Club of Ballycastle's new blog!  This, in conjunction with our Facebook Page is where we will keep you updated on all our latest news and events.


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