President of powerful EU body selected as 2025 Offaly Person of the Year

THE President of a powerful committee of the European Union has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Offaly Person of the Year award.

Seamus Boland, from the Island, Ballycumber, was elected the 35th President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) last October and will preside over the 2025–2028 term.

A lifelong advocate for rural communities and social inclusion, he will guide the EU body representing organised civil society for two and a half years.

Throughout his career, Seamus has championed groups often left behind. These include rural communities, young people, minorities, and disadvantaged members of society. As EESC President, he has pledged to bring their voices to Brussels and across the EU.

READ NEXT: Whopping 300,000 passengers use Offaly and Laois local link bus services

The recipient of the 2025 Unsung Hero of Offaly award is the Chairman of Offaly Hospice, Professor Humphrey O'Connor (pictured below).

Humphrey has presided over the voluntary committee for many years, a group which has raised millions of euro for palliative care services in the county.

He spearheaded Offaly Hospice's campaign to secure a regional hospice for the midlands.

Seamus Boland has been a member of the EESC since 2011 and served as President of the committee's Civil Society Organisations’ Group from 2020 until now.

Outside the Committee, he is Chief Executive Officer of Irish Rural Link, Ireland’s leading network for rural development, which represents thousands of communities and organisations across the country. He also serves on several national boards, including the Peatlands Council and Inland Fisheries Ireland.

Previously he was deeply involved in Macra na Feirme and education services for disadvantaged groups in Offaly and neighbouring Westmeath.

The awards are organised by a sub-committee of the Offaly Association (Dublin) and will be presented at a gala dinner in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore on Saturday, April 11 next.

Tickets for the event will be available from any committee member or from the Bridge House Hotel from next week onwards.

READ NEXT: Oh what a night! Three community groups scoop top prizes in Offaly table quiz