Downpatrick and County Down Railway volunteer Shea McKee received a Gaisce Gold Award from Uachtarán na hÉireann / President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, last week.

The Gaisce (President’s Award) is similar to the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. It recognises the efforts and achievements of young people aged between 14 and 25. Areas of activity in which young people can gain acknowledgement are sport, personal skill development, research and community involvement. Gold is the highest of the scheme’s award levels.

Shea, one of the Railway’s youngest operational volunteers, won his Gold Award for his three years’ volunteer work on the DCDR. During this time, Shea has worked on steam engine restoration, shunting and staffing the buffet counter. He described the experience as being “amazing to partake in”.

Shea was one of fifty young people from across Ireland to receive the Gaisce award from recently-elected President of Ireland Catherine Connolly, at a ceremony held in Kilmainham, Dublin, last Monday. Shea described receiving the award as “a great honour” and attending the ceremony as “a day that will stand out in my memory for the rest of my life”.

Shea also received a Community Champion of 2025 award from his college earlier, and achieved second place in the SENI (Social Enterprise Northern Ireland) Awards for Young Person of the Year. He is also on the shortlist for the Young Volunteer of the Year in the next Heritage Railway Awards. He will find out whether he has won at the awards ceremony to be held in March next year.

The Downpatrick and County Down Railway itself won an award last month, and celebrated four decades since its incorporation earlier this year.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to work towards my Gaisce through the DCDR and SERC Downpatrick. I have learned so many lifelong skills, and made so many new friends along the way. It was the Gaisce scheme that led me to volunteering at the DCDR, and even after I banked enough hours to complete my award I kept coming back”.

Shea McKee, volunteer at Downpatrick and County Down Railway