Nominees for 2023 Offaly Person of the Year revealed

THIRTY-three nominations have been received for the 2023 Offaly Association (Dublin) 2023 Offaly Person of the Year and Unsung Hero of Offaly awards.

The prestigious awards are organised by a sub-committee of the Offaly Association (Dublin) and sponsored by the Celt Bar, Talbot Street, Dublin.

Chairperson of the sub-committee, Liam Fleury, praised the calibre of all the nominees this year. The winners of the 2023 Person of the Year and 2023 Unsung Hero awards will be announced next week.

"The awards ceremony will be held in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore on Saturday, April 13 and tickets, which are priced at €45, will soon be available from the hotel or any member of the organising sub-committee," said the Drumcullen native.

The Offaly Person of the Year sub-committee members are Offaly Association Chairperson Liam Fleury, Drumcullen and Dublin; Pat Teehan, Coolderry and Birr; Noel McCann, Daingean and Tullamore; Peter Carter, Edenderry and Tullamore and Ger Scully, Tullamore and Killavilla.

In attendance at the gala dinner and presentation will be Coolderry native, Noel Tynan, the 2022 Offaly Person of the Year and Edenderry's Shane Loughlin, the 2022 Unsung Hero of Offaly, as well as previous recipients of both awards.

NOMINEES:

Bertie McMahon, Clara

Community champion par excellence. Has virtually single handedly organised the Clara St Patrick's Day parade for 30 years, including an online parade during Covid. He also organised a Christmas parade in the town for many years.

Joe Lee, Tullamore

Joe is a well known veteran publican in Tullamore who is a traditional music enthusiast and performer.

Streetwise Volunteers

Volunteers from the Rath and Birr areas who travelled to South Africa to build a community centre outside Capetown last summer.

Tony Bergin, Killavilla

The Cooleshall nonogenarian and retired dairy farmer is a passionate inventor who has won numerous awards for his innovative and practical designs.

Dr Varghese, Tullamore

For his outstanding dedication and service to patients at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore.

Sean Molloy, Tubber

Sean is Chief Ingredients and Agribusiness Officer and CEO Designate with Tirlán, formerly Glanbia

Alan Fox, Tullamore

The Tullamore man is a renewable fuels innovator who established the leading county Meath based firm, Willow Farm.

Martin Furlong, Tullamore and New York

For his immense contribution to Offaly football over 22 years, Martin is recognised for his leadership and his talent as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

John Molloy, Birr

John is one of Ireland’s leading basses who has sung in numerous productions including Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Colline, Puccini’s La Bohème and Verdi’s Rigoletto.

John Jones, Rhode

The Rhode man has launched a new periodical called Rural Pursuits. John also produced a booklet with articles and pics of wildlife in Offaly which he donated to all the national schools in the county.

Lisa Guing O'Connor, Tullamore

For her outstanding work with the Tullamore based mental health charity, Accessible Counselling Tullamore

Eileen Casey, Birr

Eileen is a Birr native who recently published a book celebrating the Camcor river

Kathleen Carroll, Cloghan

Hard-working Kathleen is a volunteer with the Irish Wheelchair Association

Chris Hand, Kilcormac

For his commitment to the Combined Counties Football League (CCFL) and the promotion of soccer in the Midlands.

Kurt Kyck, Tullamore

CEO of KMK Metals Recycling and President of the European Electronics Recyclers Association (EERA), Kurt was bestowed the iconic IERC 2024 Honorary Award at the International Electronics Recycling Congress in Salzburg recently.

Kevin Doyle, Ferbane

Kevin is Group Head of News at Mediahuis Ireland, Kevin oversees news coverage in the Irish Independent. He was Ireland’s ‘Political Journalist of the Year’ in 2019.

Noel Keeley, Tullamore

Noel is CEO of Musgrave Group, Ireland's leading food retail, wholesale and food service company, one of the country's longest running family businesses.

Pat Phelan, Killavilla

The Knocknacase man is a community worker who helps the local GAA club, volunteers at funerals, visits the sick etc

Yvonne Farrell, Tullamore

Her company Grafton Architects are to the architectural world as Messi is to the soccer world. They have designed many prestigious buildings and won numerous awards. They are currently overseeing the plan for the redevelopment of Tullamore Harbour.

Peter Lyons, Rath

For his leadership role with Streetwise Volunteers who built a community centre in South Africa.

Michael Duignan, Banagher and Durrow

For his work with Offaly GAA, his leadership and his vision for the future of Gaelic Games in the county.

Paul Galvin, Tullamore

For his tireless humanitarian work for the under-privileged and his dedication to Mary's Meals which provides free school lunches to millions of children in Africa.

Stella O'Malley, Birr

The Birr based psychotherapist and author has published three books on parenting and mental health and is a regular commentator in the national media.

Anne Starling, Tullamore

For her dedicated and passionate support of business through Tullamore Chamber of Commerce allied to her work with Special Olympics, Dóchas, Accessible Counselling Tullamore and a myriad of other groups.

Rev. Alan Melbourne, Edenderry

Rev. Alan is Church of Ireland clergy man, in the Edenderry union of Parishes. Lives in Carbury and is a great community worker, visits people in their homes, in pubs, marts etc.

John Bennett and Paddy Daly, Cloghan

Charity workers par excellence who have raised much needed funds for a variety of organisations including Feileachain

Kevin Keyes, Edenderry

Kevin is a motor sports champion who won the British Superbike 1000cc, among other titles.

John O'Connor, Durrow

John has given a lifetime of commitment to a large number of organisations in his native Durrow and Tullamore including Civil Defence, St Patrick's Day Parade committee, Durrow Hall and Graveyard committees, Tullamore Show, Suicide Awareness and many more.

Ken Smollen, Tullamore and Clara

For continuing his food appeal which helps so many needy families in Offaly and neighbouring counties.

Mundy, Birr

Muncy, aka Edmund Enright, has put Offaly on the map on the national and international music scene through his achievements as a singer/ song writer.

Fergal MacCabe, Tullamore

The Tullamore born architect and town planner who maintains a huge interest in development in his native town.

Seamus Dooley, Ferbane

The Ferbane born journalist, an influential commentator and broadcaster, who is the Irish Secretary of the National Union of Journalists.

John Carroll, Crinkle

A progressive farmer, from the Ring, John has served people in the wider Birr area as an independent county councillor for many years.