Tipperary memorial committee attend Ceder Awards

On Sunday, November 19, 2023, The Pembroke Hotel Kilkenny was the venue for the 2023 Cedars Awards Ceremony.

Master of ceremonies Mr Guy Jones, Chairman of the Irish Lebanese Culture Foundation, assisted by Christeen Coman, Sofia Jones board members were very professional in the manner they hosted the the ceremony.

Mr Martin Quinn, Secretary of the Tipperary International Peace Award, gave a presentation on the history of the Cedars of Lebanon Trees.

When it comes to the Cedars Awards, Thurles St Mary’s International Garden of Remembrance has a lot in common with the links between St Mary’s and Lebanon. St Mary’s International Garden of Remembrance is the only place in Ireland where the Lebanese Flag Officay flies.

St Mary’s is also twinned with The Irish Memorial Garden in Tibnin, South Lebanon.

Our Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Ambassador, Mr Abdo Haddad, lives in Tibnin.

One of the main Memorials in St Mary’s to the Late and former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, Prime Minister Hariri was assassinated on February 14, 2005.

His Memorial was erected by the Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee and unveiled by Mr Guy Jones and His Grace Most Rev Dermot Clifford, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly.

A cedar tree was planted in St Mary’s International Garden of Remembrance in 2005, number six of now 48 trees planted all over Ireland to the 48 Irish Soldiers who died in the Service of Peace with the UN in Lebanon.

Over the last few weeks, our committee donated 5,000 packets of five Face Masks to a Government hospital in Tibnin.

Our Ambassador Mr Haddad will see that they are handed over to the Tibnin Hospital.

Thanks to The Republic of Korea Embassy in Dublin Captain Jack Setright and Commandant Joe Gleeson, and the Irish Defence Forces for making it possible to ship the five boxes to Lebanon.

Chairman Mr John Wort, with other members of our committee have visited Lebanon many times, attending ceremonies.

A meeting with the then President of Lebanon H.E Mr Rafic Hariri.

President Hariri in his remarks praised and thanked Mr John Wort Chairman and Founder of the Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee, for all the work carried out by the Committee in reconciliation between our two countries.

Dr Michael Casey, Fellow of the Irish State, and myself, were very privileged to meet with the late Yvonne Sursock, Lady Cochrane, in her Palace in Beirut.

Lady Cochrane, one of Lebanon's most distinguished families, who made us feel very much at home in her company for over an hour and a half.

The love this lady had for Ireland and Lebanon was very evident in her conversation.

I, as Chairman of the Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee with Committee members Mr William Ryan, Mrs Roseanna Ryan, Mr P.J Ryan, K.M Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta, Mr Fred Crudge, Mrs Breda Crudge Cobh Branch O.N.E Co Cork attended the Cedars Awards.

Mr Guy Jones, Chairman of the Irish Lebanese Culture Foundation, presented the awards to the following Mr Philip Beal, Builder and Captain of the fourth Century Phoenician Merchan Ship, International Sensational and singer and writer Sir Chris De Burgh, Community Hero Mr Roland Mansour, Contemporary Artist Mr Richard Hearns, Guest Councillor Joe Malone Lord Mayor of Kilkenny, H.E Mr Muhammad Al Muhammad Kuwait Ambassador To Ireland.

Mr Guy Jones is also Vice Chairman of the Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee.

As Chairman, and on behalf of our committee, I would like to congratulate all the recipients and the organisers for a wonderful afternoon in The Penbrook Hotel.

A special word of thanks to the staff and management for their kindness throughout the ceremony.