L-R: Ms. Jacqui Hynes, Manager, Enniscorthy Castle; Cllr. Cyril Burke, Mayo County Council, Cllr. Keith Doyle, Chairman Enniscorthy Town Council; Cllr. Michael Kinsella, Wexford County Council

A RECENT ceremony marked the second national award that EnniscorthyCastle has won since November, after being crowned ‘Best Heritage Project’ by The Local Authority Members Association (LAMA).

The prestigious event in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin, saw the Castle beat off competition from Camden Fort Meagher in Cork, Dromiskin Heritage Trail in Louth, Drum Heritage Centre in Roscommon and the Restoration of Palmerstown Weir in Dublin.

The annual LAMA awards celebrate local authorities and communities working together, and this, in their sixth year of running, saw twenty-three awards presented on the night.

M.C Miriam O’Callaghan presented the award, designed for a project that has restored a historical site, or has been historically/culturally significant, which has been completed in the past three years, to Manager Jacqui Hynes and Cllr. Keith Doyle, Chairperson of Enniscorthy Town Council.

In November they accepted the Excellence in Local Government award in the Supporting Tourism category by Chambers Ireland.

Ms. Hynes told The Echo that she was over the moon to have accepted a national award on behalf of the Castle for the second time in recent months: “We’re all absolutely delighted at this recognition. I’d really like to thank Wexford County Council and the Town Council for nominating us, all the staff – the whole Castle team – who work extremely hard, and to the community and town who have supported us.

“Congratulations and well done to all involved.”

[Full story in this week's Echo]