Broadcaster Alan honoured and surprised by Military Award
The presenter of South East Radio’s Morning Mix programme Alan Corcoran has said he will cherish a National Military Award he won for broadcasting during the Covid-19 pandemic, for the rest of his life.
A National Services Day Medal was presented to Alan for services ‘above and beyond the call of duty’ during the Covid 19 Pandemic. He is one of only two civilians in the country to be honoured with this award by the Frontline Emergency and Security Services Eire Forum, the other being Minister for Health Simon Harris.
Assistant Commander and Regional Director of the Order of Malta David O’Grady broke the news to Alan live on air. Mr. O’Grady said: ‘This is a national military award for all emergency services personnel but today an exception is being made to award it to a lay person Mr Alan Corcoran for services above and beyond the call of duty in the south east.’
Alan was emotional after being presented with the medal. He said: ‘I’m thinking of my Granddad today who fought in the War of Independence and I’d love him to be here to show him this but maybe he is looking down on me today. It is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.’
He said he was genuinely surprised to win the award, adding that was accepting it on behalf of the listeners to South East Radio’s Morning Mix, all of the guests who appear on the show and his colleagues at South East Radio.