Galway Community Circus Named National Finalist in Good Causes Awards 2025

In July 2025, The National Lottery announced the 35 Good Cause beneficiaries that were selected as National Finalists in this year’s National Lottery Good Causes Awards. These awards, now in their seventh year, honour the inspiring work and achievements of projects, clubs and individuals all over Ireland, who, with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding, have had an extraordinary impact on their local communities.

Galway Community Circus has been selected as National Finalist in the Arts and Culture category for our funambulism project LifeLine that took place in Galway in 2022. LifeLine was Europe’s largest highwire performance that transformed the site of the River Corrib in Galway from a place of tragedy to a symbol of hope, strength and resilience. With the support of National Lottery part funding, over 20,000 people watched as 130 community participants and professional artists of all ages walked on a wire over an iconic waterway, creating a lasting message of hope on how we can all ‘achieve the impossible’.

Other National Finalists in the Arts and Culture category include The Kabin Studio, Cork; Anna Newell Theatre Adventures, Wicklow; Taking Flight - Circus Club Project, Dublin; and Festival in a Van, Dublin.

Announcing the National Finalists, National Lottery CEO, Cian Murphy, said: “It’s a privilege to unveil and celebrate this year’s National Finalists in the Good Causes Awards. This inspiring group of projects, organisations and individuals are transforming communities all over Ireland through their remarkable work. These finalists are a testament to the incredible difference that Good Causes funding makes every day, helping to build a brighter, more inclusive future for everyone. Everyone connected with the National Lottery should feel proud that since 1987, over €6.5 billion has been raised for thousands of Good Causes, including €239 million in 2024 alone, enabling success stories like these to flourish nationwide.”

The 35 National Finalists will now progress to the awards ceremony which will take place on Saturday, 18th of October in Killashee House Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare.

The total prize fund available on the night of the Good Causes Awards ceremony is €100,000, whereby each of the seven category winners will receive €10,000 and the overall Good Cause of the Year will take home an additional €25,000. A special category, ‘Hero of the Year’, will be announced on the awards night in recognition of outstanding work. The recipient will receive a prize of €5,000. In addition, each of the 35 National Finalists announced will receive a cheque for €1,500.

Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language. In total, more than €6.5 Billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 37 years ago. In 2024 alone, €239.3 Million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.

Thank you to The National Lottery for this incredible recognition!