President and prince co-present awards

A total of 91 young people were presented with youth achievement awards by President Mary McAleese and the Duke of Edinburgh in Dublin yesterday. The gold award ceremony took place in the National Concert Hall and marked the 21st anniversary of Gaisce - the President's award - and the 50th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Recipients travelled with their families from many counties, including Tyrone, Antrim, Galway and Waterford, to take part in the joint ceremony in front of 700 guests.

Up to 100,000 young people aged 15 to 25 years have participated in the Gaisce programme since it began.

Based on the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Gaisce is non-competitive and awarded at three levels - bronze, silver and gold.

Participants must complete a task in four areas: community involvement, personal skills development, physical recreation and adventurous expedition.

President McAleese said yesterday's ceremony celebrated the achievements of young men and women "who have freely undertaken and transcended the most testing and revealing of challenges. We know what they are made of.

"These are not dormant or latent, waiting for life to test them. They have been tested and they have earned our respect."

She said the ceremony consolidated an important element of the "exceptional relations that now exist between Ireland and the United Kingdom".

Prince Philip credited his old headmaster with the idea for the awards and said they were designed to develop skills, fitness, enterprise and a sense of compassion in young people.

He congratulated the team leaders who helped the award winners achieve their goals. "I suspect a lot of them went at it with whips and chairs," he said.

He also hoped that parents had got over the amazement of discovering how talented their children were.

Outside the concert hall, award-winner Olajumoke Arogundade (22) from Cabinteely, Dublin, said she worked towards her gold medal by volunteering in local libraries, telling stories to children and teaching about the traditions and customs of Africa.

A student of pharmacology in UCD, Ms Arogundade took up tae kwon do as her physical challenge and walked the Wicklow Way with three other Gaisce participants to complete her adventure.

"I have learnt that the most important skills to take with you through life are perseverance, self-discipline, leadership ability and, most importantly, caring skills," she said.

Kevin Bambrick (23) from Abbeyleix, Co Laois, also took up tae kwon do for his gold award. He developed his computer skills through the National Learning Network and hiked 86km (53 miles) on the Foxford Way with his father. "I learned that when I put my mind to something I have the determination to finish it," he said. "I am very proud of myself."