Ballyheigue’s Don is ‘Man of the Year’

FRESH from celebrating his husband Pascal’s 50th birthday in the sunny environs on the Bahamas, Ballyheigue’s Don O’ Neill has another reason to celebrate this week after he was awarded a prestigious accolade.

The creative director of the THEIA fashion brand, Don was recently named as the ‘International Man of the Year’ by the magazine, ‘Irish Tatler Man’ and the man of the hour admits that the award caught him completely by surprise.

“The magazine is one of my favourite men’s magazines out there and I was already thrilled to be interviewed by them last September for the winter issue that just came out,” said Don, speaking to The Kerryman on Friday.

“So, when the email came to tell me that I had been awarded the title of ‘International Man of the Year’, it came as a complete and utter surpise to me,” he continued.

Don will be awarded with an engraved Tipperary Crystal trophy in Harmonia House the next time that he is in Dublin, a ceremony that he says he cannot wait to attend.

Speaking about the award, Don says that, in some small way, he has this mother to thank for the award.

“Mom definitely had a hand in all this and was letting me know, “he finished with a smile.

Don’s brand THEIA has dressed the best of the best in the celebrity world, including Oprah Winfrey and both Khloe and Kendall Jenner.

Despite all of his success though, Don says that he still always feels like “young boy who’s just come over from Ballyheigue”.

Ballyheigue’s Don O’Neill has been named ‘International Man of the Year’ by the ‘Irish Tatler Man’ magazine.