Cork Person of the Year to be unveiled at gala ceremony in January

The Cork Person of the Year Awards for 2024 will be announced at their annual gala lunch on January 24 at The Metropole Hotel.

The winner, or winners, will be selected from the list of recipients of Cork Person of the Month awards throughout 2024. 

The winner will be picked by Valerie O’Sullivan, chief executive of Cork City Council, and Moira Murrell, chief executive of Cork County Council.

RTÉ broadcasters Miriam O’Callaghan and Anne Cassin will serve as masters of ceremony and the winner will be announced by Lord Mayor of Cork Dan Boyle and Mayor of the County of Cork Joe Carroll.

Monthly winners

The Cork Person of the Month winners for 2024 include Shane Casey, of The Young Offenders, Judge Olann Kelleher, Sheila Connolly, the CEO of the Cork Alliance Centre, Patricia Messinger, of C103’s Cork Today, historian Dermot Lucey, musician and philanthropist Colin Nicholls, and Annamarie Fegan, the first female admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Justin McCarthy Sr, Cork hurling icon, and Justin McCarthy Jr, RTÉ broadcaster, were nominated together, as were producers of An Old Song Re-Sung Philip King and Colm O’Callaghan, disability activists Tony O’Donovan and William O’Brien, Emelie FitzGibbon and Niall Cleary, of the Graffiti Theatre, and musicians Matt Cranitch and Jackie Daly.

Contributions

In addition, a number of national awards will be presented, alongside contributions from prominent speakers and guests of honour.

Anne Cassin, host of the Nationwide television show, will introduce the ‘In Memoriam’ section to honour the distinguished careers of broadcaster Gay Byrne and his wife, Kathleen Watkins, who will be represented by their daughters, Suzy and Crona. Guitar legend Rory Gallagher will be represented by his brother, Donal.

Tokens of gratitude will be extended to former TD and minister Simon Coveney, and Michael McGrath, the new European commissioner for democracy and justice, in recognition of their support for the awards scheme through the years.

Reflecting the immense sporting success of 2024 for both Cork and Ireland, a number of top national sports stars will also be honoured at this year’s Cork Person of the Year ceremony.