KittyMcCabeisthe firsteverDrogheda womanoftheyear
TWO women won rounds of deserved applause when they took to the stage in a crowded Star and Crescent Recreation Centre in Drogheda last Wednesday night.
The tributes, and the applause , which came spontaneously from the packed attendance , were for Drogheda s first ever Woman of the Year winner, Mrs. Kitty McCabe of Ballsgrove and for the mayoress, Mrs. Betty Bell, hosting her first show — and making a remarkably good job of it.
It was a double first which rook women out of the_shadows, and into the foreground jor public appreciation of the work they are doing in the community.
The Woman of the Year Award was the centrepiece of a show which, for organisation and entertainment , surpassed even the highly successful Lord Mayor’s show.
When Betty Bell, and her panel of judges, called for nominations for Drogheda Woman of the Year 1984, they asked people of the town to put forward the names of any woman who they felt, filled either one, or both of the following criteria. She must be a woman who, day in, day out, quietly and efficiently performs a charitable act, without seeking or receiving public recognition. A woman who has given unswerving and outstanding service to the community over a period of time, to the betterment of the town in the social, cultural and artistic field. Hundreds of nominations came rolling in. All told stories of good and generous hearted women, working away quietly, without though of recognition or acclaim.
The judges had a difficult job reducing the numbers down to a final panel of ten. On this prestigious list were: Joan Murphy of Cross Lanes; Janie Sheridan, Fair Street; Marie Faulkner, Hillview; Mrs. McGinley, Cearnog Brugha; Kitty McCabe, Ballsgrove;; Nurse Crinion; Hilda Synnott, Pearse Park; Kathleen Kelly, Marian Park; Hannah Kiernan, Marian Park and Pat Walker of Beamore Road.
When Mrs. McCabe was announced the winner, none was more delighted than her husband, Paddy, Fr. Peter Farrelly of Holy Family Church and her friends from Ballsgrove who had accompanied her to the show.
All a very shy Mrs. McCabe could be heard to say was: “There are a lot more deserving people than me.” Mrs. McCabe, who has three children, daughter Catherine and sons Gerrard and Kenneth, was nominated for Woman of the Year by another Ballsgrove resident, Mr. Noel Kimmins.
He, like others in the area, know of the magnificent work which she does locally for all but particularly for the young. A special Minister for the Eucharist in Holy Family Church, where her husband is sacristan, she helps out with the summer programme, the Community Games, the swimming classes and is ever ready to help all.
.The show itself was a tremendous success.
Star of the show was Maureen Potter who proved that she is still Ireland’s leading comedienne and able to rock an audience with laughter.
The Carlton Singers Ephy Clarke; Kathy Nugent and Gerry Farrell; Pat Mooney; David Leddy; Martin Quinn, Ian Sweeney and Michael Black also took part.
The sponsor of the Woman of the Year Award was the Drogheda Independent.