Twenty-one people nominated for 2021 Offaly Person of the Year award

A TOTAL of 21 nominations have been received for the 2021 Offaly Person of the Year award and the Unsung Hero of Offaly award.

The awards will be presented at a gala dinner in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore on Saturday, April 9 next.

The event is organised by a special sub-committee of the Offaly Association (Dublin).

This week we publish details of ten of the nominees and information on the following 11 nominees will be published next week.

The winners of the awards will be announced later this month.

Tickets for the event can also be purchased in late February from any member of the organising committee or from the Bridge House Hotel.

The first ten nominees are as follows:

Abdul Hafiz, Tullamore (via email)

Tullamore resident and proprietor of Cafe India restaurant. Abdul and his family and staff open the restaurant on Christmas Day to provide free Christmas dinners to the needy and lonely. Last year 26 people attended.

Geraldine O'Neill, Daingean (via email)

Award winning author, Geraldine O'Neill has written 18 best selling novels. She is also deeply involved in her adopted community in Daingean.

John O'Connor, Durrow

John is involved in a whole of organisations in Durrow, Tullamore and Offaly. He gives willing of his time to steward at local events around the Midlands.

Paul Galvin, Tullamore

Retired business man Paul Galvin is the leading light in the Mary's Meals Offaly charity and has raised tens of thousands of euro to provide school meals for students in Africa.

Peter Ormond, Shinrone

For his work in looking after the people of Offaly and keeping them up to date with Covid developments

Bertie McMahon, Clara

Bertie McMahon is a tireless community worker and almost single-handedly organises the St Patrick's Day parade in Clara and the town's Christmas parade

Jack McDermott, Tullamore

Despite his illness brave Jack raised over €9,000 for Tullamore Hospital through charity walks around Tullamore.

Brian Sheridan, Clara

For his tireless work in promoting Clara and his involvement with the Clara Heritage Committee.

Ken Smollen, Tullamore and Clara

For his work in providing food to needy families in Offaly and surrounding counties.

John Feehan, Birr

In 2021 Professor John Feehan was elected to the Royal Irish Academy, the highest academic honour in Ireland.

Professor Feehan is an environmental scientist who has made an outstanding contribution to the raising of public awareness of the environment through several books and in his outreach through television and YouTube.