Shay is surprised with early morning National Volunteer Award

Shay Hamilton jokingly asked his wife if she was expecting some early morning visitors when she started preparing food at their home at around 11am on Saturday morning of last week, November 28. “Well, I got the surprise of my life, but in the nicest possible way, when the doorbell rang half an hour later and I found out that I had won a National Volunteer Award,” said a clearly delighted Shay this week.

Among those standing outside the front door of the Hamilton home on Athlone's Talbot Avenue with a surprise delivery for the affable volunteer were the Municipal District trio of Mayor Aengus O’Rourke, Cllrs Frankie Keena and John Dolan, along with many of Shay and Mary’s neighbours and volunteers from the many local organisations he is part of, including Joe McEvoy from the Canal Regeneration Group, Gerry Johnson and Marie Gibson from Tidy Towns and John McGrath from the Chamber of Commerce.

To say that he got the shock of his life would be an understatement, he admits. “To think that so many people went to so much trouble to organise such an event for me is just hard to take in,” he says “and I am both humbled and delighted.”

READ ABOUT A SECOND LOCAL NATIONAL VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNER here

Shay won a National Volunteer Award in the Environmental and Animal Care category, primarily for his role as Chairman of the Athlone Canal Regeneration Group, which was set up to transform a stagnant and unused section of the canal into an amazing amenity which will revitalise the west side of the town.

To date, the Canal Committee has restored a small section of the waterway which now holds fish, wildfowl and some beautiful flora and fauna, and it intends to continue the work until the entire unused section of the local facility is completely restored.

Joe McEvoy, a fellow volunteer on the Canal Regeneration Group, nominated Shay Hamilton for the National Volunteer Awards, which are now in their thirteenth year and aim to shine a light on the ordinary people doing extraordinary things in their local communities across the country every day.

In order to make sure that Shay Hamilton would be available for his surprise presentation, Joe McEvoy texted him to say that some people from Northern Ireland were coming down to take a look at the canal on November 28.

“I texted him back to say they wouldn’t be allowed to travel with the Covid restrictions and I never gave it another thought, but then I got a ‘Thank You’ card in the post from Volunteer Ireland, and while I thought it was a bit odd, I didn’t really join the dots,” laughs Shay.

Not only did a lot of people go to a lot of effort to ensure that Shay Hamilton’s presentation would come a complete surprise to him, but he says the Community Warden from Westmeath County Council, Lorraine Derwin, had organised for local company, Spectrum Signs, to make a big 8 x 4 sign which had been erected outside his house!

Although born in the Oak Leaf county of Derry, Shay Hamilton ended up in Athlone after meeting his Athlone-born wife while he was in college in Dublin, “I’m here 49 years now, so I think that’s long enough for me to no longer be considered a blow in,” he says.

He has volunteered with numerous organisations over the years, and says he always asked himself the question beforehand as to whether he could make “a significant difference” by volunteering his services to various groups.

“Through volunteering I have met people from all walks of life who would never have crossed my path in the ordinary course of events” he says “and there is a huge sense of satisfaction in giving back to your local community and in achieving something worthwhile that will benefit future generations.”

Despite winning a National Volunteer Award, Shay Hamilton is quick to point out that it is a tribute to the many volunteers he has worked with over the years. “Nobody volunteers for the kudos, but a bit of recognition goes a long way and I am absolutely delighted and honoured to have been recognised by Volunteer Ireland,” he says.

The framed message from President Michael D. Higgins that Shay received as part of his award now has pride of place in his Talbot Avenue home, as has the engraved trophy.