Olympic trio to be honoured at Cork event

Three back-to-back Irish Olympians will be honoured at a special event held in Cork city centre next week.

The event at the Metropole Hotel on January 24, hosted under the umbrella of the Cork Person of the Year awards, is set to recognise the trio of Olympic champions.

Kellie Harrington, who won the women’s lightweight boxing gold medal at both the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and 2024 Paris Olympic Games, will be named as an ‘Honorary Corkperson’ at the event, in recognition of her significant sporting achievements.

Ms Harrington will also be presented with a Republic of Cork passport and an inscribed piece of Cork crystal by the Lord Mayor of Cork, councillor Dan Boyle, and the Mayor of the County of Cork, councillor Joe Carroll.

Skibbereen-pair Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, who also won back-to-back Olympic gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and 2024 Paris Olympic Games in lightweight double sculls, will be inducted into the Cork Person of the Year Hall of Fame at the event.

Mr O’Donovan previously won Cork Person of the Year in 2016 alongside his brother, Gary, for achieving a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

This year’s star-studded event will also feature the award scheme’s inaugural ‘In Memoriam’ presentation, honouring the much-loved couple of Gay Byrne and Kathleen Watkins — who will be represented by their daughters Suzy and Crona — along with legendary blues guitarist Rory Gallagher, who passed away 30 years ago.

Mr Gallagher will be represented by his brother and manager Dónal Gallagher.

The gala lunch, MC’d by RTÉ broadcasters Miriam O’Callaghan and Anne Cassin, will also see recently retired TD Simon Coveney and European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, receive presentations to acknowledge their involvement with the awards scheme over the years.

On the day, award judges Valerie O’Sullivan, chief executive of Cork City Council, and Moira Murrell, chief executive of Cork County Council, will crown the official Cork Person of the Year for 2024.