'There is a really great community spirit in the town'
Westmeath Independent Community & Sports Awards in association with Westmeath County Council
Elaine Howlin: Volunteer of the Year finalist
A young woman who moved into Moate town 18 years ago and has raised her family there while getting involved in local community activities to help the area, did so, through a very busy schedule, including working as a science teacher in Tullamore.
“I’m completely taken aback and couldn’t believe that somebody nominated me, and took the time to do it, I’m bowled over,” said Moate volunteer Elaine Howlin.
Elaine, as well as her leading role in the Moate Trad Festival has also been involved in the local Town Team group.
“The Town Team are an unbelievable group to work with,” said Elaine, whose strength appears to be in working hard in a team setting!
She loves her adopted town of Moate and can’t imagine not living there.
Elaine, who is a native of Longford moved to Moate in 2007, knowing nobody, but joined the residents’ association of her estate, and is its current chairperson.
“I got to know a lot of people through the residents’ association,” she said. “It’s always my thing to try to improve things. I’ve three children heavily involved in sports, with Moate All Whites and Moate Ladies.”
Elaine answered a request for females to volunteer as Female Liaison Officer, and she decided to volunteer there, and from that, she became secretary of Moate Ladies, while also being majorly involved for over two years in Moate Trad Festival.
“I did lead the trad festival, but I like to be in the background, but if I do something I want to do it right, and there is a big history of trad in Moate,” said Elaine, who brought many people successfully together for the event. “I had never done anything on that scale before, to coordinate so many people, but the people were absolutely wonderful. Anything that is being organised in the town, I’ll always turn up for it, because there are people who make the effort, and there is so many people in the town that do things, the least you can do is turn up. There is a really great community spirit in the town.”
The Volunteer of the Year award finalists are Elaine Howlin, Padraig Hegarty and Joanne O'Connor, Jim O'Connor Memorial Castle to Castle Swim Committee.
The Volunteer of the Year award is sponsored by Byrne Carolan Cunningham Solicitors LLP