Bree Community Development Group was runners-up in the under 3,000 population category in Leinster at the Bank of Ireland National Enterprise Town Awards ceremony held in the Lyrath Hotel, Kilkenny.
83 towns and urban villages from almost every county were represented, 35 of them received awards and shared a prize fund of €157,000, and Wexford County Council nominated Bree for the 2018 awards.
Bridie Galavan (chairperson), committee members Clare Doyle and Betty Kelly, and Liz Hore, District Manager, Enniscorthy Municipal District Council were present to accept the prestigeous prize.

Celebrating with a selfie at the Enterprise Awards are Clare Doyle, Liz Hore, Bridie Galavan and Betty Kelly from Bree.

The judges had visited Bree on Monday, October 1st. They spent a total of three hours in the local area. While there, they listened to presentations by Bridie Galavan, Paud Moriarty, Sheila Moriarty, Clare Doyle, Kay McKelvie and Breda Cahill, viewed a video of local amenities and conducted a question and answer session with Committee members.
The adjudicators then met with various enterprises from the locality, viewed the Digital Hub, Community Centre and surrounding facilities, had a walking tour of Bree Village and were brought by mini-bus to visit some of the local enterprises and attractions in the area.
Also present in Bree on that day were Minister Paul Kehoe, local public representatives and representatives of Bank of Ireland, Wexford County Council and people involved in many of the local organisations.
Leadership has always been strong in Bree community. In 1910, the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA) was founded in Bree by a local woman, Anita Lett. Since then, strong leaders have always come forward when the community needed guidance and direction.
The foresight and enterprise shown by the people of Bree in 1969 when Bree Hall was built, has brought them to the present day where they have a modern Community Centre, Brí Beag Childcare Facility, Tennis Courts, Children’s Amenity Park, Walking Track, Handball and Squash Courts and three playing pitches on a 15-acre complex in the centre of Bree.
The strategic development of these assets is overseen by Bree Community Development Group Ltd who is the umbrella body which supports all organisations in the village.
Taking part in the National Enterprise Awards has helped them focus on and review all their achievements to date and has given them the impetus to challenge their imaginations for the future.
It has also given the committee the opportunity to showcase many enterprises and consider how they support and sustain each other.

A leafy scene on the way to prize-winning Bree village.

Members of the Bree Community Development Group committee include Josephine Byrne, Patricia Byrne, Breda Cahill, Teresa Dixon, Clare Doyle, Syl Doyle, Eddie Dunne, Bridie Galvan, Martin Humphrey, Betty Kelly, Kay McKelvie, Paud Moriarty, Sheila Moriarty, Eileen Murphy, Mike Nolan, Billy Whelan and Sinead Whelan.
Speaking at the event, Minister for Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe said; “People from right across our country are represented at these awards. The diversity of entrants, and that which brings everyone together, with their unique set of historical, geographical, infrastructural, economic and social opportunities and challenges, is a cause for celebration.”
CEO of Bank of Ireland, Francesca McDonagh said the awards are about recognising the enterprising activity being undertaken by towns and communities all over Ireland. “I have been impressed with the energy, commitment and sheer hard work that we have seen from the awards entrants across the length and breadth of the country,” she added.