This week is Positive Ageing Week (29 September – 3 October) – an annual celebration of the vital and varied contributions of older people in our communities and an opportunity to challenge ageism.
An ethos of ‘age positively, live fully and celebrate life’ was fully present at the flagship ‘Local Heroes’ event earlier this week. Louise McLaughlin, Head of COPE Galway’s Senior Support Service, is one of the team involved in Positive Ageing Week 2025. She said of the event, “We were thrilled to meet 27 remarkable individuals from across Galway city and county, who see age as only a number and believe in staying young at heart. They are prime examples of the benefits of keeping active and socially connected.”
The 27 local heroes are celebrated in an exhibition that will tour Galway city and county over the next few weeks, starting with Galway City Library this week. These inspiring people epitomise positive, healthy, and active ageing and enrich the lives of everyone they know in countless ways.
One of the Galway City heroes, Laurence Daly, has been volunteering with COPE Galway, delivering meals to clients of their Meals4Health social enterprise. These visits are more than just deliveries – they’re moments of connection, conversation, and care. Laurence believes that staying active and helping others keeps you young at heart. He says, “Volunteering gives me more chances to connect, stay involved, and enjoy life. There’s plenty of fun, purpose, and good company to be found at every age.”
Claddagh woman, Martina Small, has a warm personality and positive outlook while caring for a family member, working part-time and keeping up with her many hobbies. She passionately believes that ageing is a privilege. Martina’s advice? “Self-care is vital, you have to make time for yourself. Try and keep young at heart – just go with the flow, take each day as it comes – and enjoy life!”
Research indicates that our perception of ageing can be influenced by what we see and hear. Louise Mc Laughlin continued, “This is why it is crucial to highlight people like our Positive Ageing Local Heroes, who have such a valued contribution to our communities. Many are family carers, active members of clubs, associations, and community groups, making important contributions – with age being no barrier.”
To learn more about each of the inspiring 27 Galway city and county local heroes, and the dates/venues for the exhibition, visit copegalway.ie/positiveageingweek.
Ends
The Local Heroes Exhibition is an initiative of the Galway Age Friendly Programme, made possible through the support of Galway City and County Councils, COPE Galway, Galway Rural Development, Galway City Partnership, Forum Connemara, Carers Department, HSE West and North West, Galway Public Libraries, Comhar na nOileán. They extend gratitude to all sponsors, contributors and especially the wonderful individuals from across Galway city and county who contribute to our families, communities, and society, inspiring others to do the same.