Mayo People of the Year winners announced

THE recipients of the 2019 Mayo People of the Year awards were announced last night.

Now in its 27th year, the awards banquet will take place at Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, on Friday, November 22.

The cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Councillor Brendan Mulroy, Edel Cadden of Mayo RehabCare, and Bernard Hughes of The Connaught Telegraph, and chairman of the organising committee, formally announced the recipients at a press conference in Breaffy House Hotel.

The event is organised annually by Mayo RehabCare, Mayo County Council and The Connaught Telegraph.

Tickets for the event are available from Edel Cadden, RehabCare, Breaffy Road, Castlebar.

The winners are as follows:

Hall of Fame Award - Tom Mulloy of the Mulloy Brothers from Mulranny, who was nominated for a posthumous Hall of Fame award.

Business Community Liaison Award - Gerry Maguire, Carne Golf Links, Belmullet.

Mayo Diaspora Award - Mickey Garvey, formerly of Castlebar, and now residing in Chicago.

Gradam na Gaeilge Award - Treasa Nic Ghearraig and Uinsíonn Mac Graith, for their work in the North Mayo Gaeltacht.

Young Person of the Year - Ewan Fitzgerald (10) from Shrule.

Young People of the Year - Coláiste Pobail, Acla, Transition Year class.

Sports Club of the Year - Claremorris Swimming Club.

Junior Sports Club of the Year - Mayo Under 12 girls, winners of the county's first Gaynor Cup.

Mayo Awards - Ballina Lions Club; Lourdes to Knock 2,000km cycle (Alan Heaney, Maurice Dore, Jonathan Verry, Garry Bigley and Gerry ‘Boots’ Powel); Tom Brophy and Michael O’Connor of Victim Assistance; Caragh Ryan, Westport, for her fundraising efforts for Western Alzheimers; Mulranny Tidy Towns; Mary B. Rice, Castlebar, for her work with Childline; Colette Heaney and Elisha Sweeney, Mayo Autism Camp; and Loftus family, Balla, for their cancer charity fundraising efforts in memory of the late Martina Loftus.