Nicole Turner and Pádraig O'Dufaigh presented with Offaly 'Person of the Year' and 'Unsung Hero' awards
Paralympic swimmer Nicole Turner has received her award as the Offaly Person of the Year for 2024, while Birr's Pádraig O Dufaigh, a stalwart member of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, has been given the 2024 Unsung Hero of Offaly awards.
The honours were presented at a gala function in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore, last night, Saturday, April 5.
We will have photos and further coverage from the event in next Friday's Offaly Independent, but for now here are the citations on the night, which outlined why these two worthy winners were selected for the accolades.
2024 OFFALY PERSON OF YEAR CITATION: NICOLE TURNER
"It gives me great pleasure to present to you this evening the 2024 Offaly Person of the Year award recipient.
"The award goes to a young woman who has represented her country in international competitive swimming and who last year announced her retirement, bringing an extraordinary career to a close.
"A Paralympic silver medallist and multiple-time international medallist, the 2024 Offaly Person of the Year leaves the sport as one of Ireland's most celebrated athletes. From Garryhinch, she initially took up swimming to follow in the footsteps of her two older brothers, but her exceptional talent quickly became evident. Encouraged by her family and coaches, who recognized her potential, she pursued the sport more seriously.
"Our award winner grew up just outside Portarlington, with parents Bernie and Jason, and brothers Daniel and Ciaran.
"The 22-year-old was educated locally at Cloneyhurke National School and Colaiste Iosagain in Portarlington. Taking up swimming at the tender age of five she got her first taste of success when she won eight medals in 2009, aged just seven, at the World Games in Belfast.
"Her career began with Portarlington Piranhas before moving to Laois Marlins in Portlaoise. She then trained with Ireland’s top swimmers at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin starting in 2017. In 2015, she made her senior international debut at the British Internationals, winning a silver medal in the youth category. She followed this with six finals and personal bests at that year’s World Championships in Glasgow.
"Our Offaly Person of the Year 2024 represented Ireland at the 2016 IPC Swimming European Open Championships, where she swam in six finals, bringing home silver in both the 200m Individual Medley and the 100m Breaststroke, as well as a bronze in the 50m Butterfly. She also set nine new PB times.
"At just 14 years old, she made her Paralympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The Offaly Person of the Year 2024 competed in five events, qualifying for the final in each one, and set personal bests in six out of her ten races. Her best finish was fifth in the 50m Butterfly.
"She had the honour of serving as the flagbearer for Team Ireland during the Rio Paralympics' closing ceremony. She shone at the 2018 European Championships in Dublin, winning silver in the 50m Butterfly. In 2019, she won bronze in the 50m Butterfly at the World Championships in London.
"Following her brilliant performances that year, the 2024 Offaly Person of the Year was nominated for both the RTÉ Sport Awards 2019 Sportsperson of the Year and the Young Sportsperson of the Year award. At the 2021 European Championships in Madeira, she won medals in all four of her events: silver in the 50m Butterfly and 100m Breaststroke, and bronze in the 50m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley. The 2024 Offaly Person of the Year competed in her second Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2021, which had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Despite the challenges posed by the global situation, she delivered stellar performances, culminating in the crowning moment of her career – winning a silver medal in the S6 50m Butterfly final with a time of 36.30 seconds. Competing against world-class athletes, including her Chinese rival Yuyan Jiang, who set a world record in their heat, she demonstrated exceptional skill and determination to claim her spot on the podium. Her silver medal cemented her status as one of the top Paralympic swimmers in the world.
"The 2024 Offaly Person of the Year was a key member of the Irish team at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester. At the 2024 Para Swimming European Championships in Madeira, she won four medals: one gold, one silver, and two bronze.
"At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, marking her third and final appearance, she competed in two events. She advanced to the final of the S6 50m Freestyle, finishing 6th with a time of 35.65 seconds and she also finished 6th in the S6 50m Butterfly final.
"While the award recipient did not secure a podium finish, her performances reflected her continued dedication to her sport and her status as one of the top para-swimmers on the global stage.
"Speaking about her retirement announcement, Paralympics Ireland CEO Stephen McNamara said, 'Her contribution to Irish sport and her exceptional performances will leave a lasting legacy. While we will miss seeing her compete, we congratulate her on everything she has accomplished throughout her career and wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life.'
"Tonight we salute the 36th recipient of the Offaly Person of the Year award.
"Ladies and gentlemen please be upstanding for the 2024 Offaly Person of the Year, Nicole Turner."
2024 UNSUNG HERO OF OFFALY CITATION: PADRAIG O DUFAIGH
"It gives me great pleasure to present to you this evening the 2024 Unsung Hero of Offaly recipient.
"The award goes to a man who has given a lifetime of service championing traditional Irish music through Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann at local, county and national level.
"Despite his advancing years, the 2024 Unsung Hero is still involved with Comhaltas locally and is also an active member of the Parish Pastoral Council in Birr.
"A multi-talented individual, he is a veteran radio presenter who has fronted the popular Coppers and Brass traditional musical programme on Midlands 103 for over three decades.
"Born in Ballywilliam, Eglish, in Drumcullen parish, our 2024 award recipient grew up with his siblings on a small farm. He was educated at the Presentation Brothers in Birr.
"Shortly after completing his secondary education, he secured a position with Woods Textile Manufacturing in Birr, later Birr Fabrics, where he worked for 25 years, advancing to the role of sales manager
"Following that he spent another quarter century working at Erin Peats where he was logistics manager at the time of his retirement.
"Despite his busy working life and commitment to Comhaltas, our award winner found time to woo and wed his beloved wife, the late Virginia Magee, from Borris-in -Ossory, and the happy couple reared three children, Sinead, Ciaran and Nollaig.
"Nollaig, who lives and works in the United States, has flown over from Chicago to attend tonight's awards ceremony and we give her a special welcome. Our award winner also delights in his five grandchildren.
"It was a twist of fate that the 2024 Unsung Hero of Offaly, became involved in Comhaltas in the late 1950s.
"In 1958, the celebrated Marian Hall has just opened in Birr and various fund-raising efforts were being organised to finance the development.
"One of the ventures suggested was the organising of a fleadh cheoil and our award winner was nominated to help organise the fund-raiser as he had previously attended a fleadh cheoil. At the time Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann was in its infancy and not many were familiar with fleadh cheoileanna.
"The subsequent fleadh cheoil proved an enormous success and in the following year the Offaly County Board of Comhaltas was formed with the first ever county fleadh being held in Birr.
"Our award winner was secretary of the first fleadh and the first county board and he has remained in administrative roles in Comhaltas up to this day.
"Originally there were just three Comhaltas branches in Offaly, though Clonaslee was affiliated for a time as there was no Laois county organisation. Offaly now boasts seven branches – Birr, Ballyboy, Kilcormac, Rahan, Tullamore, Daingean and Edenderry.
"In due course, the 2024 Unsung Hero was elected to the Provinical Council and to the National Executive of Comhaltas in the early 1970s. He filled the onerous role of national competitions co-ordinator and was also elected National Treasurer, a post he remained in for 35 years until stepping down last year. Our award winner remains a National Trustee of Comhaltas.
"He has attended every Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann since 1958 and was a key member of the ogranising committee which brought the event to Tullamore in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
"Incidentially, the Offaly Person of the Year award was bestowed on that committee in 2009, so our Unsung Hero has the distinction of being also the holder of an Offaly Person of the Year award.
"Our award receipient also became involved in parish affairs in his adopted home of Birr in the late 1950s and remains a member of the Pastoral Council to this day.
"He has served in the role of Secretary and Chairman of the body but now describes himself as an 'ordinary foot soldier'.
"He was recently awarded the St Brendan's Medal for his work for the parish for over six decades. Now aged 87, the 2024 Unsung Hero retains his zest for life and his commitment to all things Gaelic and Irish, both language and music.
"Tonight we salute the fith recipient of the Unsung Hero of Offaly award. Ladies and gentlemen please be upstanding for the 2024 Unsung Hero of Offaly, Padraig O Dufaigh."