Veteran broadcaster John Creedon named Cork Person of the Year
RTE's broadcaster John Creedon who was awarded the Cork Person of the Year award at the ceremony which took place at the Rochestown Park Hotel. Picture: Brian Lougheed
Veteran broadcaster John Creedon has been named Cork Person of the Year at a gala awards lunch at Rochestown Park Hotel this afternoon.
The Cork Person of the Year awards was founded in 1993 to recognise outstanding achievements by people from Cork.
Mr Creedon, who received the award for representing the best of Cork city and county through his broadcasting and writing over the years, was chosen from the 12 Cork Persons’ of the Month picked over last year.
The judges also praised Mr Creedon for igniting a new love of Ireland during the recent lockdown Covid period through his television series, and book, , published by Gill Books. A third series of Atlas of Ireland will air on RTÉ this summer.
The John Creedon award-winning evening radio show broadcast from the local RTÉ Cork studios was also noted as attracting a huge home and international audience.
“John Creedon is the quintessential Corkman and indeed the Creedon family have always been one of Cork's first families,” award scheme organiser, Manus O’Callaghan said.
“His most recent TV series and book show the layers of meaning behind place names of Ireland’s 63,000 townlands and reveal stories about our country and the people who walked it before us.”
Mr Creedon received a tremendous round of applause from an invited audience who represented all aspects of Cork life at the awards today.
Caitriona Twomey, who is behind the iconic Cork Penny Dinners on Little Hanover Street, also became the latest recipient of the Cork Person of the Year’s coveted Hall of Fame award.
“Penny Dinners must be one of the most admired and loved organisations in Cork,” award organiser Ann-Marie O’Sullivan remarked.
“They always keep an open door, no questions asked.”
Honorary Corkperson designations were bestowed on international singer-songwriter Donovan and his wife Linda, who have lived in Cork for many years.
Donovan Leitch burst onto the international music scene in the mid-sixties with hits such as 'Catch the Wind', 'Mellow Yellow', 'Sunshine Superman' and many more.
He is still performing today at 75 years of age and his wife and muse Linda Lawrence is a collage artist, transcendental meditation promoter and environmentalist.
The was also honoured to mark the 180th anniversary of the newspaper.
The Cork Person of the Year was chosen from the Cork Persons of the Month selected over the past year.
They were Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Colin R. Morehead; pioneer in education and youth mentoring over the past 40 years in Cork, Br Ben Cusack; human rights activists, Roos Demol and Breda Keane Shortt; internationally acclaimed author, Billy O’Callaghan; Munster rugby stalwarts, Jerry and Billy Holland; Trinity’s first female provost in the college’s 429-year history, Professor Linda Doyle; editor of The Echo, Maurice Gubbins; comedian and writer Pat Fitzpatrick (aka Reggie, Blackrock Road/ Ask Audrey); acclaimed singer-songwriter, Jack O’Rourke; multi-award winning sibling actors, Catherine and Eileen Walsh; Cork Simon Director, Dr Dermot Kavanagh and of course, John Creedon.
Award judges were Tim Lucey, Chief Executive of Cork County Council and Ann Doherty, Chief Executive of Cork City Council.
Award Partners are Irish Examiner, RTÉ, Southern, Lexus Cork, AM O’Sullivan PR, Cork Crystal, Tony O’Connell Photography, CAVS, Musgrave MarketPlace, Manus O’Callaghan, Cork City Council and Cork County Council.
Master of Ceremonies at the awards lunch was presenter/anchor of RTÉ Six One News, Caitriona Perry.
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