Blarney set to honour its 2019 Person of
The Year
The local ‘ lollipop lady’, Jill O’Keeffe was nominated for the March award for the work she does everyday looking out for the local children and parents of the community.
Her number one responsibility each and every day is the safety of the children, and Jill has also given her time to go and speak at the school to teach the children the importance of safety.
If a parent is late Jill will wait with that child no matter how long it takes for them to be safely collected, she often lets a child use her mobile phone to contact parents if they are delayed.
EXCITEMENT is building ahead of one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the annual social calendar in Blarney.
On Saturday evening more than 100 invited guests will attend a gala bash at the The Castle Hotel to find out which of the 11 monthly nominees will be unveiled at the ‘Blarney Person of the Year’ for 2019.
Awards co-organiser Kate Durrant said that as in previous years the standard of monthly nominees was exceptionally high.
“This is the 10th year these awards have been running, and with so many worthy monthly winners during 2019, our panel of judges have once again had a particularly difficult task on their hands to choose an overall winner,” said Kate.
She said that while the nominees
MIXED Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Ryan Spillane (22) is a former Whitechurch NS and Scoil Mhuire gan Smal pupil.
He is both a European and World champion at MMA, winning gold at the IMMAF World Championships in Bahrain in November 2018.
Ryan, also known as ‘ The Hulk’ fell in love with MMA when he attended the gym as a 16-year-old on the Munster rugby squad.
Ryan trains with Marlene, Jimmy and Liam Og Griffin at Straight Blast Gym and also with John Cavanagh who works come from a wide range of different backgrounds and interests including sport, the arts voluntary and community work, business the environment, they all had one thing in common.
“Through their lives and achievements each and every one of the monthly winners has excelled in their own special way and have made immense contributions to the local community. In that regard, they are all winners,” said Kate.
“These awards recognise and reward the all-too-often unsung heroes who live and work within our midst and whose leadership, altruism and willingness to go that extra step make them role models for the entire community. They have helped make Blarney and the surrounding district such a wonderful place to live and work in,” she added. with Conor McGregor.
One to watch – Ryan has a bright future ahead of him.
AWARD winning, double platinum selling artist Mick Flannery began to write songs as a teenager in his home in Blarney and, at the age of only 19, became the first Irish songwriter to win the Nashville based International Song-writing Competition.
By the time he turned 21, he had signed to a major label
ONE of Ireland’s top female basketball players Amy Murphy’s first big award was in 2012 when she was part of the Brunell team to take the All-Ireland U-14 title, a year which also saw her voted All Ireland player of the year.
She has, incredibly, won every basketball award possible at her age level since she starting playing basketball at the age of 10.
Cork player of the year at U-12, U-14, and U-18, Amy was also the first recipient of the Laura Brennan award, which honours basketball players who go above and beyond to mentor younger players.
Amy’s medal shelf also holds
Popular local lady Anne lynch was nominated for the October award for her “selflessness, humility and the amazingly positive impact she has on everyone she comes into contact with.”
“For as long as I’ve known this person, they have always gone way, way over and above for their patients, customers, colleagues, friends, neighbours and their family, and while they might take great comfort and pride from helping others, it is not evident,” read the nomination form.
“Whether she’s baking cakes, calling to people’s houses, giving a hug at the counter or just and released his debut album ‘Evening Train’, the first of six albums he has released to date.
Mick, who has travelled throughout the world with his music, recently staged the worldwide première of his musical, Evening Train. He has a busy year ahead of him and will shortly be heading to Nashville to perform. the European U-18 silver medal which she received in 2017. passing on her wise words, Anne constantly cares for others”.