Betty named as the 2019 Blarney Person of the Year
THE woman who founded the award-winning Whitechurch-based Cór Gael community choir, Betty Fitzgerald, has been honoured with the 2019 Blarney Person of the Year award.
Betty, the musical director of the choir and the church organist at St Patrick’s church for the past 35 years, was given a standing ovation when her name was announced at a gala bash last in the Blarney Castle Hotel.
Earlier in the evening the more-than 150 guests at the event gave the January 2019 Person of the Month, Blarney Toddler Group leader Ruth Hockey, a rousing reception when she was inducted into the Hall of Fame, acknowledging her more-than-20-year commitment the local community. The joint Masters of Ceremonies for the evening were John Henchion and Cllr Damien Boylan who, along with local businesswoman Kate Durrant, founded the awards 10 years ago.
Speaking at the awards, Kate said the aim of the awards was to “recognise achievement, leadership and altruism so that others may be inspired to follow in the footsteps of all the monthly winners.”
“In a world that seems to thrive on negativity and finding flaw, it’s lovely to be in a room full of positivity, a room full of people who, through their actions, remind us of all that is good and right with the world,” she said.
John Henchion acknowledged the fact that organisers received many nominations throughout the year saying that “no one person is voted Person of the Month lightly”.
“The awards are a way for us to show off the talents and hard work of people who work tirelessly under the cloak of invisibility, with humility and for the common good, not for any personal gain,” he added.
These sentiments were echoed by Cllr Boylan, who said “we can consider ourselves extremely lucky to live in a village where charity work is the rule and not the exception.
“The people being honoured here tonight richly deserve their monthly award and so much more. The Blarney Person of The Year award endeavours to applaud and recognise our unsung heroes who put their community and their charitable work before themselves.”
The panel of local judges had the hard job of deciding from a panel of monthly winners that included Lord Mayor of Cork Dr John Sheehan, committed Blarney United Football Club coach Greg Constant, marathon runner Craig Sykes, talented Irish basketball player Amy Murphy, Anne Lynch nominated for her kindness and commitment to patients at Pharmacy First Plus, MMA fighter Ryan Spillane, popular local ‘ lollipop lady’ Jill O’Keeffe, singer-songwriter Mick Flannery, popular Blarney lady Esther Ruby and winners Blarney Toddler Group leader Ruth Hockey and Cór Gael director and founder Betty Fitzgerald.