'The most caring traffic warden' who works at Tipperary school wins award

Alan Whyte, who has won the Tonstix South East Lollipop Person of the Year Award, is the most caring traffic warden you could ever meet.

That’s according to Tanya O’Brien, principal of the Presentation Primary School in Clonmel, who nominated him for the award.

“He takes his job so seriously,” Ms O’Brien said in her nomination.

“He greets every child in the morning with a smile and a conversation.

“I am convinced that some of our students come to school early just to meet Alan and chat to him”.

Alan won a €1,000 Cassidy Travel voucher for a holiday, while the Presentation Primary School will also benefit from a €1,000 cash windfall for school equipment.

The award was a collaborative effort between Tonstix, the creators of child-friendly honey jelly pops, and the radio station Beat 102-103.

Alan will represent the south east in a national competition later in the year. He received a huge total of 60,545 nominations in a multi-platform campaign with Beat 102-103.

“The safety of the children is paramount. It’s a serious job and we have to look after the kids and make sure they’re safe going across the road,” Alan told Beat.

“You talk to them, say hello to them and say hello to their parents, and try to ease their little worries going into school if you can.

“I hope it puts them at ease for the day”.

He said he was in total shock when he heard the news that he had won. He didn’t expect it and was overwhelmed by all the support he received.

When interviewed on Beat, Alan sent greetings to his wife Patricia; daughter Orla; sons Shane, who is serving in the Lebanon with the Defence Forces; Ian and Mikey, and his grandchildren.

Clonmel’s Mayor Richie Molloy has congratulated Alan on the wonderful job he was doing “every day without fail”.