Offaly Person of the Year nominations

THE Offaly Association, Dublin, has announced the first draft of nominees for the 2008 Offaly Person of the Year Award, with the remainder due to be revealed next week. The first nine nominees for the award are: Johnny Butterfield, Gerard Cleary, Pauline Curley, Neil Delamere, Mildred and Theo Dillon, Cllr Johnny Flanagan, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann organising committee, Cllr John Foley and Andy Gallagher. Members of the public were invited to nominate those who had made an outstanding contribution in the academic, business, civic, cultural, social and sport categories. Birr-based businessman Stephen Grant became the 20th recipient of the award last year and a total of 17 nominees have been received for the 2008 edition. A special committee of the Offaly Association will select the winner, which will be announced publicly on March 11. The award, which is sponsored by Noel Tynan of the Celtic Lodge Hotel and Bar in Dublin, will be presented to the winner at the annual Offaly Association dinner dance in the Regency Hotel in Dublin on Saturday, April 4. Johnny Butterfield was first elected to Offaly County Council in 1967 and held his seat until 1999 before reclaiming it in the local elections of 2004. He has also campaigned on a number of issues over the years including farming and housing through his involvement in Macra na Feirme and more recently as chairman of the Mid-Offaly Housing Association. Gerard Cleary plays a prominent role in the family run Glenisk Organic Ireland business based in Newtown, Killeigh, which was established in 1987 and is an offshoot of another successful family business, Tullamore Dairies. Pauline Curley"s gutsy run in the marathon in Beijing last year epitomised the Olympic spirit and won the hearts of many. The only true amateur in Ireland"s 16-strong athletics team, she was just the fifth Irish woman in history to compete in the event. Neil Delamere has established himself as one of the country"s most popular comedians mainly through his appearances on RTÉ show The Panel and Neil Delamere"s Just for Laughs on a weekly basis, as well as numerous other television slots on RTÉ and BBC. Mildred and Theo Dillon are nominated in the "civic" category in recognition of their promotion and support of self-directed services by people with disability for people in their locality through St Anne"s Services. A hugely successful businessman, John Flanagan has played a major role in establishing Tullamore as one of the most attractive locations in the Midlands. His business, John Flanagan and Son, is more often than not at the coalface of major building developments in locality. The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann organising committee is nominated after Tullamore hosted Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for the past two years with outstanding success. It has led to the town being awarded the festival for a near unprecedented third successive year in 2009. Though a native of Kerry, Cllr Foley has become firmly embedded in the community in Edenderry and currently serves on the Town Council, having narrowly missed out on election to Dáil Éireann two years ago. Andy Gallagher served the Offaly hurlers as a player, selector and manager almost uninterrupted over a 40-year period, during which nine Leinster and three All-Ireland titles were won. Tickets for the dinner dance on April 4 are available from Martin Delaney (086 6028345), Pat Nolan (087 6101773), Donal Cunningham (086 6189857), Liam Fleury (087 6169192), Liam Leogue (086 2475567) or any committee member.