Former Mayo All-Ireland footballer receives prestigious award

BALLINTUBBER native Pat McCarthy has been awarded the 2021 Volunteer Recognition Award in Letterkenny by the Donegal Volunteer Centre.

He received this award for his many years of commitment and dedication to supporting communities experiencing disadvantage in the Letterkenny area.

Pat was a member of the 1985 All-Ireland winning Mayo Minor panel, also winning Ulster titles with Killybegs minor team and Donegal Vocational Schools footballers that same year.

He has high hopes for Mayo to bring home Sam this year under the leadership of fellow Ballintubber man James Horan.

Since retiring as a social worker from Letterkenny General Hospital, Pat has worked tirelessly in a volunteering capacity on behalf of people with disabilities and more recently asylum seekers and members of the travelling community.

Mayor of Letterkenny Jimmy Kavanagh said at the presentation of the award that never was there a more deserving recipient of this award than Pat McCarthy, saying: “I have known Pat for a long time, going back to his time as a social worker with the HSE in Letterkenny University Hospital, a proud Mayo man who won an All-Ireland for his county at Minor level, and a person who has made a huge contribution as a volunteer in Co. Donegal.

“I am sure he is hoping more awards will be going in the direction of the Mayo men in the not-too-distant future. Well done and well-deserved Pat.’’

Pat hails from the well-known and respected McCarthy family from the Store at the crossroads in Ballintubber.