After sifting through hundreds of nominations the winners of the Rehab Galway People of the Year Awards have been chosen and are due to be honoured at a glittering gala banquet and presentation at the Clayton Hotel on Saturday April 2.
Following a massive response to a request for nominations, the winners were selected by an independent panel of adjudicators and the official announcement was made last Sunday night at a press reception in the Clayton attended by Mayor of Galway, Councillor Michael Crowe.
Now recognised as one of the highlights of the Galway social calendar the Rehab Galway People of the Year Awards ceremony seeks to acknowledge and commend the winners for their work and contribution in a variety of fields which contributed to the betterment of the lives of people in their communities, not only in Galway city and county but also abroad, in places like Belarus. Tickets for this event are now available with proceeds from the evening going to the Rehab Group which provides training, support, education, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities and special needs.
Speaking at the announcement on Sunday, Ollie Robinson of Rehab said “The awards had once again captured the imagination of the Galway public with a massive response to the request for nominations. Over the years the contribution either social, economic, educational, sporting, or cultural of the people who drive Galway’s communities has been recognised by these awards.”
Mr Robinson congratulated all the winners for this year’s awards which include Galway Advertiser chairman Ronnie O’Gorman. Considered a pioneer in the newspaper industry, Mr O’Gorman was deemed a worthy recipient by the Rehab adjudicators for giving so much to the commercial, cultural, and sporting well-being of his beloved Galway. More than forty years ago Mr O’Gorman set up the Galway Advertiser, the first free newspapers in Ireland, which has gone on to become one of the great businesses of its type in the country spawning publications in Mayo, Athlone, and Kilkenny. Through the years Mr O’Gorman has been incredibly generous in giving back to his native Galway in many ways; he has been a long time member of the Galway Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is currently chairman of the Galway Business Association, and he also established, with NUI Galway, the main funding source for the Lady Gregory Fellowships which provides a €20,000 bursary. Mr O’Gorman was one of the founding members of the Galway Arts Festival, and the Galway Advertiser is one of the major sponsors and promotors of the event. The newspaper also sponsors and promotes a wide range of events that add to the social and cultural life in Galway city and county.
The other deserving winners are: Pat Dolan who for more than 20 years has been a pioneering figure in the field of children’s rights and family support in Ireland; Ahascragh native Peadar Burns who has been a strong supporter of Ability West, giving extremely generously of his time for nearly 50 years to improve the rights and opportunities for people with intellectual dissabilities; PJ Coyle - head coach of the Galway City Harriers Athletic Club, Mr Coyle is one of the sport’s unsung heroes with hundreds of athletes in Galway city and county having benefited from his knowledge and passion for athletics over the last 20 years; Tigers Club, Mountbellew - The volunteers at the Tigers Club are being honoured for their passion and for the wonderful work they do in their own community, helping to open up a whole new life for people with different special needs and for their involvement with the Special Olympics; Ray Carroll - This Salthill man made national and international headlines in 2010 when he was part of a four man crew which smashed one of the longest-standing world records by rowing across the North Atlantic ‘unsupported’ in just under 44 days. Through his efforts Mr Carroll raised a phenomenal €90,000 for his nominated charities Aware and Jigsaw.
Other award recipients are: Jim Carney - a well known journalist and broadcaster who is honoured for his selfless work for so many people and groups in the Galway area and for his huge contribution to Galway sporting life; John Marley - for his work above and beyond the call of duty in the area of psychiatric care in south Connemara; Keith Finnegan - One of Ireland’s leading radio personalities Mr Finnegan is a recipient for his enormous contribution to the promotion of Galway and for his charitable and cultural contributions; Marina Fiddler of MADRA - for her ceaseless work in the care of dogs who other people neglected; Martin Fleming - chairman of the Friends of the Children of Chernobyl (Corofin branch ). Mr Fleming has made a huge contribution to the wellbeing of children in an area of Belarus called Luninets since 2002; and Galway Hospice - What began as a concept in 1986, was launched in 1990, and has been an absolutely crucial and tremendous service to the community since then, makes the Galway Hospice an organisation of untold importance in the Galway area.
Tickets for the awards presentation and banquet (black tie ) are available from Rehab Care in the Liosbaun Business Park, Tuam Road, Galway, 091 756653, or from Ollie Robinson, 087 2437009, or from any of the committee members. Groups, clubs, organisations and the corporate sector may book their own table. Early booking for tickets is advised.
