Countdown on to Donegal Person of the Year awards

Without a doubt the annual Donegal Person of the Year Annual Banquet in Dublin is one of the social highlights of the year in the capital.

With this year’s event taking place on St Patrick's weekend there is no doubt that the demand on both accommodation and tickets for the celebration will be at an all-time high.

The award is regarded as the ultimate recognition a Donegal person can receive as Daniel O'Donnell highlighted some years ago saying: “I have no shortage of awards, gold discs etc. But to me the Donegal Person of the Year is the ultimate award.

“To be recognised and acknowledged by your own countrymen simply tops everything else.”

In recent years the Donegal Association in Dublin has had a great knack of choosing some very inspirational winners - people who have contributed so much to their county.

These include Riverdance’s Moya Doherty, Daniel O’Donnell, Jim McGuinness, Deirdre McGlone, Jason Black, Sean McGinley, Brian and Sean McEniff amongst a host of other household names.

This year’s announcement of the recipient takes place on Friday, January 31 in the Black Door pub at 6pm and is guaranteed to attract a huge crowd.

Siobhan Shovelin of the Donegal Association said: “Year after year we wonder how are we going to come up with yet another inspiring person who ticks all the boxes and somehow we always succeed.

“We have had great nominations for this year, all of whom would be worthy recipients. I think our decision this year will indeed be a popular one.”