Who will be the 32nd Cork Person of the Year?
Some local heroes will be honoured for their contribution to life in Cork this month at the Cork Person of the Year Award for 2024.
The annual gala awards lunch takes place on 24 January at The Metropole Hotel. The 32nd anniversary of this prestigious awards scheme is set to continue its long tradition of honouring individuals and groups who have made exceptional contributions to Cork, Ireland, and beyond.
The winner, or winners, will be selected from the esteemed list of recipients of Cork Persons of the Month awards throughout 2024, by a judging panel of Valerie O’Sullivan, Chief Executive, Cork City Council, and Moira Murrell, Chief Executive, Cork County Council.
RTÉ broadcasters Miriam O’Callaghan and Anne Cassin will serve as MCs at the event.
Cork Person of the Month winners for 2024 and nominees for Person/s of Year are:
January - Shane Casey (‘The Young Offenders’) actor and playwright, in honour of his unwavering commitment to the arts and education.
February - Judge Olann Kelleher for his outstanding service to the legal profession, both as a solicitor and as a district court judge, along with his contributions to sport.
March - Philip King and Colm O’Callaghan, for their role in producing ‘An Old Song Re-Sung’, a live concert and TV programme to mark 100 years of the Irish State.
April - Tony O’Donovan and William O’Brien, for their dedication to empowering people with disabilities and enhancing the lives of those with additional needs.
May - Sheila Connolly, CEO of the Cork Alliance Centre, in recognition of the invaluable service she provides in the support and rehabilitation of people who have been to prison.
June - Justin McCarthy Sr, Cork hurling icon, and Justin McCarthy Jr, RTÉ broadcaster, in honour of their family contributions to sports and media.
July - Patricia Messinger, of C103’s ‘Cork Today’, for her outstanding contributions to broadcasting, community engagement and humanitarian efforts.
August - Emelie FitzGibbon and Niall Cleary of the Graffiti Theatre, for their decades of exceptional work in supporting children and youths arts education and theatre.
September - Dermot Lucey, whose contributions to history and education have enriched the cultural fabric of Ballincollig and its surrounding areas for over four decades.
October - Annamarie Fegan, the current and first ever female admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club in over 200 years, for her contributions to Cork sailing life.
November - Matt Cranitch and Jackie Daly in honour of their significant contribution to the Sliabh Luachra tradition of Irish music over the past several decades.
December - Colin Nicholls in recognition of over forty years of service to Cork’s musical landscape and his significant philanthropic involvement with the Rotary Club of Cork for the past 20 years.
Further details and interviews with all the award nominees can be found on www.corkpersonoftheyear.ie.
A number of national awards will be presented at the lunch, alongside contributions from prominent speakers and guests of honour.
Anne Cassin will introduce the In Memoriam section at the event. This inaugural version will honour the distinguished careers of Gay Byrne & Kathleen Watkins, along with blues legend Rory Gallagher.
“The Cork Person of the Year Awards scheme continues to serve as an important means of recognising the outsized contributions Cork people make on the local, national, and world stage. I’m proud to continue this tradition into its 32nd year and look forward to revealing 2024’s Cork Persons of the Year at January's annual gala lunch. I’m also delighted that Miriam O’Callaghan and Anne Cassin, old friends of our awards scheme are back to MC events,” said Manus O’Callaghan.