John Creedon is Cork Person of the Year

RTÉ Broadcaster John Creedon was named Cork Person of the Year at a Gala Awards Lunch at the Rochestown Park Hotel earlier today.

John received the award for representing the best of Cork City and County through his broadcasting and writings over the years.

The judges also praised John for igniting a new love of Ireland during the recent lockdown Covid period through his television series ‘Creedon’s Atlas of Ireland’ and book ‘That Place We Call Home’, published by Gill Books. A third series of Atlas of Ireland will air on RTÉ this summer.

The John Creedon award-winning evening radio show broadcast from the local RTÉ Cork studios was also noted as attracting a huge home and international audience.

Organiser Manus O’Callaghan said: 'John Creedon is the quintessential Corkman and indeed the Creedon family have always been one of Cork's first families. John loves Cork, his sense of place and his own tribe. His most recent TV series and book show the layers of meaning behind place names of Ireland’s 63,000 townlands and reveal stories about our country and the people who walked it before us.'

John Creedon received a standing ovation from an invited audience who represented all aspects of Cork life.

The HALL OF FAME award was presented to Caitriona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners. Caitriona and her volunteers supply thousands of freshly-made meals every week to those in need and she has also added new free services over recent months. Organiser Ann-Marie O’Sullivan said 'Penny Dinners must be one of the most admired and loved organisations in Cork. They always keep an open door, no questions asked.'

HONORARY CORKPERSON designations were bestowed on international singer-songwriter Donovan and his wife Linda, who have lived in North County Cork for many years. Donovan Leitch burst on to the international music scene in the mid-sixties with hits such as Catch the Wind, Mellow Yellow, Sunshine Superman and many many more. He is still performing today at 75 years of age and his wife and muse Linda Lawrence is a Collage Artist, Transcendental Meditation promoter and environmentalist.

Speakers at the awards lunch included Drimoleague woman Dee Forbes, Director General of RTÉ; Minister Michael McGrath; and bishops Paul Colton and Fintan Gavin.

The Cork Person of the Year was chosen from the Cork Persons of the Month selected over the past year:

JANUARY 2021: Colin R. Morehead, Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, the oldest yacht club in the world.

FEBRUARY 2021: Br. Ben Cusack, pioneer in education and youth mentoring over the past 40 years in Cork

MARCH 2021: Roos Demol and Breda Keane Shortt, working with refugees and direct provision in Cork

APRIL 2021: Billy O’Callaghan, internationally acclaimed Douglas author

MAY 2021: Jerry and Billy Holland, contributions to Cork, Munster and Ireland Rugby.

JUNE 2021: John Creedon, promoting Ireland through TV series and Book.

JULY 2021: Professor Linda Doyle, Trinity’s first female provost in the college’s 429 year history

AUGUST 2021: Maurice Gubbins, contribution to journalism and community honoured

SEPTEMBER 2021: Pat Fitzpatrick, humorist, writer aka Reggie, Blackrock Rd/Ask Audrey.

OCTOBER 2021: Jack O’Rourke, nationally acclaimed Singer-Songwriter

NOVEMBER 2021: Catherine and Eileen Walsh, Multi-award-winning stage and screen actors

DECEMBER 2021: Dr Dermot Kavanagh, leadership of the Cork Simon Community on its 50th anniversary.