Good evening everyone and thank you so much for being here to celebrate Kingsway Community Connections’ 25th anniversary.

Before anything else, I want to acknowledge what a privilege it is to stand here as the current custodian of this organisation. I often say that I am still trying to work out how I ended up responsible for all of this, but the truth is, I know exactly how.

In 2016, when I arrived as a student placement, one person took a chance on me. Our former MD, Martin, who is with us tonight. Much of what he taught me did not come from manuals or handbooks. It came from long discussions about why communities experience inequality in the first place, about structural disadvantage, wealth disparity, and the policies that create the conditions people live with every day. He challenged me to understand community work not only as support, but as a response to systems that leave people behind. Those conversations shaped the way I think, the way I lead and the reason I approach this role with such seriousness. His mentorship built the foundations of my practice, and I am deeply grateful for it.

Even after his retirement, he never fully escaped. He continued to mentor me, guide me and, more importantly, remains a dear friend. Any strength I bring to this role stands on the foundation he laid, and I want to thank him publicly and wholeheartedly for that tonight.

I want to thank everyone who makes Kingsway Community Connections what it is. Our volunteers, partners, funders, board members and friends in the community who have worked alongside us, challenged us, supported us and believed in us. An organisation does not reach 25 years without people choosing to stand with it, time and time again.

To our community members who come through our doors every day, whether for support, joy, connection or a cup of tea and a chat… you are the heartbeat of the centre. You are the reason we exist.

KCC was founded on a simple but powerful idea: that every person deserves the chance to feel safe, connected and hopeful about the future. For 25 years, this centre has grown, adapted and evolved alongside the community it serves. We have listened, we have learned and we have changed, always holding onto the values that shaped us.

We have supported children, young people and families through some of the most challenging moments of their lives. We have created spaces where people from all backgrounds and cultures feel welcome. We have encouraged people take small steps and huge leaps, and we have been here through crises, celebrations, setbacks and successes.

KCC is not just a building or a project. It is a living, breathing example of what community looks like when people care enough to show up for each other.

People often ask how I feel about being Managing Director, and the honest answer is: deeply responsible and deeply proud. I walk into the building every day knowing what it has meant to generations of people before me, and what it still means to so many now.

I do not take this role lightly. I am committed to protecting what makes this place special, while leading it into a future that our community deserves. And I know I am not doing that alone.

Now… my team. Stephanie, Joe, Jamie and Paul. I do not know where to begin. You have supported this organisation through some extraordinary moments. You have shown courage, compassion, humour and the kind of resilience that you do not learn from a training course.

Working with you is one of the greatest privileges of my career. You show up for our young people and families with integrity and heart, especially when the work is heavy. You care deeply, you go above and beyond, and you represent KCC with authenticity and dignity every single day.

I am proud of you. I am proud to stand beside you. And I want you to hear this tonight, in front of everyone: KCC could not do what it does without you.

To borrow the words of Maya Angelou:

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Every day, this team makes people feel seen, valued and supported. That is the true measure of impact, and it is the reason KCC has stood strong for 25 years.

A special thanks to my sons, Ross and Josh, for their patience, their humour and their encouragement over the years. And to Gerry, who has brought a new sense of happiness to my life, I love you all.

As we celebrate 25 years of KCC, we also look ahead. Our community is changing, our young people are facing new pressures, and the world around us is more complex than ever. The work is not done. In fact, in many ways, it is only just beginning.

But I have absolute faith in this organisation. I have faith in our values, our people and our community. And with the team we have, the partnerships we are building and the determination that runs through KCC’s history… I know the next 25 years can be even stronger.

So, let’s raise a glass together, to Kingsway Community Connections – Slàinte mhath