Mallow's Oscars celebrates the cream of the crop
MALLOW SPORTS AND LEISURE COUNCIL AWARDS 2010
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IT'S MALLOW'S version of the Oscars and hundreds turned out for the prestigious and glittering 20th annual Mallow Sports and Leisure Council Awards last Friday night.
The awards celebrate the cream of achievements by the people of Mallow each year and, as awards committee chairman Liam Ware noted, each year it is getting harder to separate the award winners from the nominees.
This year nominations came from social activites from stage productions to Special Olympics, from singing groups to organising local groups. The sports elements, meanwhile, saw nominations in football, soccer, golf, swimming, eventing, handball, hurling and more.
From an idea conceived on a soccer pitch 20 years ago, by now well over a thousand local heroes have been feted, and exhorted on to ever greater heights, at these annual awards.
In Mallow, you know you are doing something right if you are nominated for an award; to win one is something very special.
Sponsored by Castlelands Construction, AIB Mallow and media sponsor The Corkman, the awards were presented again this year by TV3 'sports guy' and local man Kieran McSweeney.
Kieran, along with Chairman Liam Ware and Mayor of Mallow Richard Dempsey, did not let the night go by without honouring the late Jack Tierney, whose family were special guests on the night. Teacher and, latterly, town councillor, Jack Tierney was central to the development and strength of the awards, and was chairman for many years. At last year's awards, Mr Tierney announced that he was passing on the mantle of chairman, just months before his death.
The current chairman, Liam Ware, said while this year's event was tinged with sadness the awards would remain a fitting tribute to Mr Tierney and his years of work for the town.
Gracing the awards this year was footballer Angela Walsh, one of the select few to have won five All-Ireland Senioe Ladies Football titles in a row with Cork since 2005. Angela told the gathering that she and 'the girls' will be going for a sixth this year but the icing on the cake for her would be an All-ireland club title
On the night, committee members Kathleen O'Sullivan, Jack Madden and Cllr Noel O'Connor accepted the Clubperson Award on behalf of the Friends of Mallow Hospital. Established in the 1970s, the group has worked to promote and fundraise for the hospital, adding immeasurably to the facilties available and, indeed, its very survival.
Newly appointed committee member Roisin Lucey presented an award to Hall of Fame winner, Mr Dick Griffin, who has had years of involvement with the local St Vincent de paul Society, as well as anti-drug education programmes, sheltered housing schemes and even establishing the Cork North Enterprise Board.
- LOUISE MCCARTHY
