Congratulations to Thrive Balbriggan which has won the 2025 the All-Ireland Community and Council Awards in the Best Mental Health Initiative at the awards ceremony which took place on Saturday 22nd February in Cork.

The Balbriggan Great Places & Spaces Wellbeing Map is an intergenerational project that highlights locations in Balbriggan that promote mental health and well-being. The map was created from survey responses gathered from local Transition Year students and the Balbriggan community, identifying places where they feel relaxed, happy, energised, or calm.

Coordinated by Thrive Balbriggan, the map was created by local artist Lauren Fernandes and designed by Áine O’Beirne, a local graphic designer and Vice Chairperson of Thrive Balbriggan. The project was inspired by the Wexford Great Places and Spaces Wellbeing Map, which was administered and coordinated by the Wexford Mental Health Association.

Commenting on the win, the Great Places and Spaces Project Lead, Thrive representative Séamus Quigley said: “This award is not only a recognition of Thrive Balbriggan’s presence, but also a tribute to the dedication of its members and volunteers who have worked hard to make a positive impact on the wellbeing of the Balbriggan community. The Great Places & Spaces initiative was a unique concept for the area, and as demonstrated by its success at the All Ireland Community and Council Awards, it was a project that made a real difference—one we are eager to build on. I want to commend the team for their tireless efforts, creativity, and initiative in transforming this map from an idea into an attractive, functional resource that will benefit the community. This project was created for the community, by the community, with invaluable contributions from local residents and produced with the support of Mental Health Ireland, Our Balbriggan, Empower and 123 Print Balbriggan. We are thankful for their willingness to share their insights about the different places and spaces in Balbriggan, and we also appreciate the support from everyone involved”.

Thrive is a community-led movement aimed at creating happier and healthier communities by conducting activities promoting mental health and well-being. Thrive was introduced to Ireland in 2021 by Mental Health Ireland and currently operates in two locations in County Fingal in Balbriggan and Swords.
Thrive Balbriggan is an initiative of Mental Health Ireland and is supported by Fingal County Council. For further information please contact thrivebalbriggan@mentalhealthireland.ie or visit Thrive Ireland – Mental Health Ireland