On Friday last, at a Special Meeting of Galway City Council, Keith Finnegan, veteran broadcaster and journalist, was awarded the Freedom of the City of Galway by Mayor Eddie Hoare and the elected members.
The honour was awarded in recognition of his achievements as the voice of morning radio in Galway for over 30 years; for his significant contributions to Irish journalism and broadcasting; and for his work as a proud ambassador for Galway nationally and internationally.
Keith Finnegan joins a list of 32 distinguished and notable people previously recognised by Galway City, as his name is entered into the Honorary Freedom of the City of Galway register. They include Douglas Hyde in 1939, Eamon de Valera in 1946, Christy O’Connor Senior in 1970, President Ronald Reagan in 1984, Garry Hynes in 2006, Michael D Higgins in 2012, and Patricia Burke Brogan and Ena McEntee in 2022, among others.
The list of recipients is a fascinating time capsule of people who have made a difference to the lives of the people of Galway over time - directly impacting on day-to-day life in the city, or by their actions on a national, or international stage.
Commenting on the event, Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Eddie Hoare said that “Every morning for 30 years, Keith Finnegan has joined us in the kitchen over a cup of coffee, in the car on the way to work, or going for a walk in the sunshine or the rain on the Prom, as the host of the Keith Finnegan Show and Galway Talks on Galway Bay FM.
“Keith spoke to us of community issues, current affairs, human interest, entertainment, good news and bad – all with the utmost professional integrity, good humour, empathy and humanity. He was a companion and a source of comfort, with a reassuring voice and an easy manner – a friend in the background,@ he said.
During the event, Mayor Eddie Hoare presented Mr Finnegan with a commemorative scroll in an oak case, at an event attended by family, friends, the media, Elected Members and Officials of Galway City Council, in the Hardiman Hotel in Galway.
