25 February 2022
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Caitriona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners will receive the Hall of Fame award at the upcoming Cork Person of the Year Gala Awards Lunch on March 4th, 2022.
Caitriona and her volunteers provide thousands of freshly-made meals every week for those in need and over recent years she has also added many other activities and free services.
“Arguably, Dr Caitriona Twomey and the Cork Penny Dinners charity, which originally sprang from the soup kitchens during the Famine in the 1840’s, is the most admired service ever established in Cork. Always an open door, a warm welcome, open every day of the year, and no questions ever asked”, said awards organiser Manus O’Callaghan.
Also, at the upcoming awards lunch, international singer-songwriter Donovan and his wife Linda will receive Honorary Corkperson awards. Donovan Leitch, best known for such hits as Catch the Wind, Mellow Yellow, Sunshine Superman and many many more, and his wife Linda Lawrence, a collage artist, promoter of Transcendental Meditation and environmentalist, have lived in North Cork for many years.
This is the 29th year of the Cork Person of the Year awards scheme and the overall winner of Cork Person or Persons of the Year will only be announced on the day (March 4th). The event takes place at the Rochestown Park Hotel and the winner will be chosen from the Cork Persons of the Month selected over 2021.
The nominees for the Cork Person of the Year 2021 are:
- 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.
Award judges are Tim Lucey, Chief Executive of Cork County Council and Ann Doherty, Chief Executive of Cork City Council. Award Partners are Irish Examiner, RTÉ, Southern, Lexus Cork, AM O’Sullivan PR, Cork Crystal, Tony O’Connell Photography, CAVS, Manus O’Callaghan, Musgrave MarketPlace, Cork City Council and Cork County Council. Master of Ceremonies at the awards lunch is Presenter/Anchor of RTE Six One News Caitriona Perry.