Former editor of The Echo Maurice Gubbins nominated to receive prestigious civic award

RETIRED editor of The Echo and EchoLive.ie, Maurice Gubbins has been nominated to receive a prestigious civic award at the Lord Mayor’s Civic Awards 2023.

Each year six people receive Lord Mayor’s Civic Awards in recognition of their efforts to improve the lot of the community.

The nominees were announced by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, Fine Gael councillor Damian Boylan, who chaired Monday evening’s full council meeting.

“Those who are proposed are Maurice Gubbins, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Cork life and to journalism; Elmarie Mawe, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Arts through her radio show, The Arts House; Daniel Nuzum, in recognition of his outstanding commitment to spiritual and pastoral care and perinatal bereavement and palliative care; Doireann O’Mahony, in recognition of her outstanding commitment to raising public awareness of and her support for those affected by sepsis through the Irish Sepsis Foundation; Denise O’Sullivan in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Irish soccer and her status as her ambassador to young women in support and Marie Piper Gregan, in recognition of her outstanding commitment to community events in Douglas,” Mr Boylan said.

Mr Gubbins retired from his role as editor of The Echo and EchoLive.ie last Friday.

His contribution to the Examiner Group spans back more than 40 years, during which time he played a key role in the editorial development of the company.

He began his career in journalism with The Southern Star in West Cork back in the 1970s before joining The Corkman in North Cork.

He moved to The Cork Examiner, now the Irish Examiner, in 1978 where he worked in a variety of reporting and editorial roles before becoming editor of The Echo in 2001.

In 2021 he received a Cork Person of the Month award to mark his leadership role in mentoring quality Irish journalists and also for supporting and promoting Cork community volunteer groups and charities over the last 45 years.

The Lord Mayor’s Civic Awards are set to be presented on June 1.