People of the Year Presentations on Friday Night
13 November 1996
The fourth Mayo People of the Year Awards will be presented at a gala banquet at the Failte Suite of the Welcome Inn Hotel, Castlebar on Friday night.
The guest of honour on the occasion will be Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Mrs. Marion Arnott-Job who will fly in to Knock Airport for the occasion, where she will be met by the Chairman of Mayo County Council, Mr. Pat McHugh, the chairman of Castlebar Urban Council, Mr. Eoin Garavan, Mr, John Walkin, chairman of Ireland West Tourism and the chairman of the Knock Airport Board, Mr. Cathal Duffy.. She is only the third woman in 100 years to be selected to the prestigious post. She was born in Chicago to Mayo couple Tom and Helen Frain who grew up together in the village of Cashel.
Prior to the Awards function the Lord Mayor will be given a civic reception by Mayo County Council in the council chamber. In all nine awards will be given out. They are pieces of Skellig Crystal and have been specially designed by Rehab workers.
The annual function is organised by Rehab in conjunction with AIB bank and the Connaught Telegraph. The compere for the night will be Mike Edgar of BBC, Belfast. All the proceeds from the banquet go to meet the running costs of the Rehab workshop in Castlebar where over sixty disabled workers receive specialist treatment.
Last year a cheque for £5,000 was handed over to Rehab following the 1995 function. The chairman of the organising committee, Mr. Tom Gillespie said the function was a complete sell-out and there were several names on the waiting list still hoping to get tickets.
He said: "The success of the People of the Year Awards has been phenomenal beyond all belief. We are delighted there is such support for the project as all of the profits made are ploughed back into developing the services at Rehab.
"The large number of nominations received shows the great interest there is in the project. All of them were deserving winners, but unfortunately they had to be whittled down to the final nine."
The purpose of the Awards is to give recognition to a broad spectrum of significant achievements which might otherwise go unnoticed.
Two of the accolades will be handed over to emigrants who have performed outstanding work for their adopted lands.
This year Sr. Rosemary Connelly of Chicago and Brother Joseph McNally of Singapore will be the recipients.
The other award winners are Erris Tourism, the late Mr. P.J. Hennelly, Castlebar; Brenda
McNicholas, Kiltimagh; Sr. Ailbe, Claremorris; Mr. P.J. Murphy, Ballyglass; John Maughan and
the Mayo team and Mrs. Mary Healy of the Mayo Branch of the Arthritis Foundation of Ireland.
Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - November 1996
