County Wicklow People of the Year Awards 2018
Garden County residents who have gone above and beyond the call of duty for their friends, family, colleagues or community will be recognised with a County Wicklow People of the Year Award later this year.
The official launch took place in the Glenview Hotel and nominations are now open for these coveted awards, which are run by the Wicklow Hospice Foundation and Wicklow County Council in conjunction with the Wicklow People and Bray People.
The public are being encouraged to put forward the names of those who have enhanced the lives of those around them before the deadline of Friday, July 13.
The winners will be presented with their awards at a gala ceremony in the Glenview Hotel, Glen of the Downs, on September 21.
The evening will include a meal, presentation of the awards and some music and dancing.
MC Christy Kenneally will introduce the winners on the night.
Nominations can be made using the application form on the opposite page.
A nominee should be a person or group which has made a significant contribution to the quality of life of a community or individual. They could be a coach, a carer, a good neighbour, a committed volunteer, an inspirational older person, a health worker or otherwise. Perhaps there is a community group, sports club or local project that has done something extraordinary and deserves recognition.
The last County Wicklow People of the Year Awards took place in September 2016, with the local heroes gathering at the Glendalough Hotel for the event.
Winners on that occasion were: Arklow’s David Owens, who received an award for 1916 Commemoration for his extraordinary efforts to mark this important year; Paul Keogh from Bray, who was named Volunteer of the Year for his tireless work as a First Responder; Rathdrum’s Seamus ‘Seamie’ O’Toole, who received an award for Service to the Community; the National Learning Network in Arklow, which received the Community Health Award after being nominated by student Pauline Cullen; tireless fundraiser and activist Dessie O’Toole from Bray, who was presented with the Community Spirit Award; Fiona Shannon, who won the sports award for her work with Aughrim-Annacurragh Community Games; Paul O’Toole, who collected the Community Arts Award for his tireless work in Dunlavin; the Polish-Irish Education Association, which won the Social Inclusion Award; Canon Robert Jennings, who collected the Heritage award on his 92nd birthday; and Margaret O’Donovan, who was presented with the Carer of the Year Award.