Glenravel community stalwart Marian Maguire wins top Rural Community Award prize

Championing the cause…Marian Maguire, Chairperson of Glenravel & District Community & Residents Association and winner of the Community Champion award in the Housing Executive’s Rural Community Awards.

A woman whose dedication has helped shape and strengthen communities across rural County Antrim for more than two decades has been recognised with one of Northern Ireland’s top grassroots volunteering honours.

Marian Maguire, Chairperson of the Glenravel & District Community & Residents Association, has secured a £500 prize as part of this year’s Housing Executive Rural Community Awards, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to life across the Glenravel area.

The award places a spotlight on a remarkable legacy of community service that has touched the lives of residents across some of Mid and East Antrim’s most widely dispersed rural communities.

More than 20 years of service to rural Glenravel

Marian Maguire, Chairperson of Glenravel & District Community & Residents Association and winner of the Community Champion award in the Housing Executive’s Rural Community Awards, is joined by Marie-Louise McClarey, Community Development Associate, Supporting Communities. Also pictured is, (back row left to right) John Read, Housing Executive Good Relations Officer, Mid and East Antrim, Roy McClean, Housing Executive Assistant Area Manager, Mid and East Antrim and Eoin McKinney, Housing Executive Rural Team.

For more than 20 years, Marian has devoted herself to improving the lives of people throughout Glenravel.

What began as a simple but vital lunch club for elderly and vulnerable residents has since grown into something far bigger — laying the foundations for the Glenravel & District Community & Residents Association, which was formally established in 2010.

That early initiative became the catalyst for a broader network of support, social connection and community development, serving people across the rural communities of Clough, Martinstown, Cargan, and Newtowncrommelin.

For readers across Ballymena and the wider Mid and East Antrim area, the significance of the recognition lies not just in the award itself, but in what it represents: sustained, hands-on community leadership in an area where rural isolation and access to support can often present significant challenges.

Award celebrates grassroots volunteering across Northern Ireland

This year’s Rural Community Awards ceremony was held at the Seamus Heaney Centre in Bellaghy, bringing together individuals and groups from across Northern Ireland whose work has made a tangible difference at local level.

The annual event serves as a showcase for outstanding volunteering work at grassroots level in rural communities, highlighting the people and organisations helping to maintain neighbourhoods, strengthen community ties and boost civic pride.

In a region where many rural areas depend heavily on volunteers to sustain local initiatives, the awards underline the critical role played by community champions in supporting residents and preserving local identity.

“She epitomises the phrase Community Champion”

Pictured at the Housing Executive Rural Community Awards held in Seamus Heaney Homeplace, Bellaghy are, (left to right) Nicole Lappin, Chair of the Housing Executive, Marian Maguire, Chairperson of Glenravel & District Community & Residents Association and winner of the Community Champion award, Marian’s grandchildren, Sean Og McKeown and Eoin Agnew and Marie-Louise McClarey, Community Development Associate, Supporting Communities.

Marian speaking at the Housing Executive Rural Community Awards held in Seamus Heaney Homeplace, Bellaghy, after receiving her award.

Paying tribute to Marian’s achievement, Carolyn Crawford, Housing Executive Mid and East Antrim Area Manager, said:

“We are delighted that Marian took top prize in our rural awards Community Champion section.

“She epitomises the phrase Community Champion.”

The recognition of Marian as the top prize winner in the Community Champion category highlights the scale of her contribution and the impact her work has had across the area.

“Marian Maguire is truly a rural phenomenon”

A particularly powerful tribute came from Cormac Duffin, committee member of the Glenravel & District Community & Residents Association, who described Marian in striking terms.

He said:

“Marian Maguire is truly a rural phenomenon.

“Under her leadership, the Association now supports people of all ages across the widely dispersed rural areas of Clough, Martinstown, Cargan, and Newtowncrommelin.

“She consistently acknowledges the invaluable support provided by the Housing Executive.

“Their partnership has enabled many successful projects, including the community garden, beekeeping initiatives, feasibility funding for a new community centre, summer schemes, and even the 200-year celebrations for Newtowncrommelin.”

The breadth of projects listed paints a picture of community development extending well beyond basic support services.

From environmental initiatives such as community gardening and beekeeping, to youth-focused summer schemes, heritage events and long-term planning for a new community centre, the work led under Marian’s stewardship has had both immediate and lasting impact.

A trusted figure for people facing hardship

Perhaps the strongest public-interest element of Marian’s recognition lies in the role she plays for residents facing difficult personal circumstances.

Cormac continued:

“Marian is unquestionably the heart of our Community Hub.

“She is a trusted presence for individuals facing challenges such as homelessness, illness, unemployment, or family difficulties.

“People feel comfortable approaching her because she listens with compassion and acts with purpose.”

In rural communities, where formal services may not always be immediately accessible, trusted local figures often become the first point of contact for people in crisis.

That role — supporting those facing homelessness, ill health, unemployment and family pressures — makes Marian’s work especially significant for the wider community.

It is this combination of compassion, leadership and practical action that appears to have made her such a central figure in Glenravel life.

“Glenravel is richer because of her”

Cormac’s tribute concluded with a deeply personal reflection on the scale of Marian’s dedication.

He said:

“Her husband often jokes he rarely sees her, a testament to her tireless dedication.

“Selfless, committed, and deeply community-minded, Marian Maguire embodies what it means to be a Rural Champion.

“She offers friendship, leadership, and unwavering support to all who need it—and Glenravel is richer because of her.”

The award is not only a recognition of Marian’s personal commitment, but also a reflection of the strength and resilience of rural communities across Co Antrim, where volunteers continue to play a vital role in supporting residents and driving local progress.

For Glenravel, the honour serves as a moment of pride — and a public acknowledgement of the woman many clearly regard as one of the community’s most important pillars.

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At a glance:

• Marian Maguire has won a £500 top prize in the Housing Executive’s Rural Community Awards

• She was recognised in the Community Champion section

• Marian has served communities across Glenravel for more than 20 years

• Her work began with a lunch club for elderly and vulnerable residents

• The Glenravel & District Community & Residents Association was established in 2010

• The award celebrates grassroots volunteering in rural Northern Ireland

• Community leaders described her as “the heart of our Community Hub”