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With the County Armagh People of the Year being chosen at a gala dinner on Saturday night, 11 November in Armagh City there are only 2 days more to get your votes in for your choice, as voting closes at 5pm on Saturday November 11 2023.
The event run by the Cordelias Foundation concludes with a glitzy Awards Show at the Armagh City Hotel this weekend.
How To Vote
Online - To vote online go to cdn.choicely.com and select your winner/ winners. Each vote costs €1.
Phone - You can also vote by phone by calling the number associated with your choice.
Maisie Black 09135240007
Libby Clarke 09135240008
Crossmaglen Community First Responders 09135240009
Kieran Corr 09135240010
Kathleen Duffy 09135240011
Brian and Sean Farrell 09135240012
Revd. Canon Matthew Hagan 09135240013
Micheál McCloy 09135240014
Joel McGarry 09135240015
Marie Morgan 09135240016
Clodagh Robb Camlough Sunrise Social 09135240017
Armagh Rural Transport 09135240018
Calls cost £1 plus network providers access charges.
NOTE: Phone voting lines are accessible from UK landlines and UK mobiles only.
If you have any queries please contact: 07599 124888 or email armaghawards@gmail.com
Sponsors
The main sponsor of the event is Cordelias Takeaway. A Drinks Reception is sponsored by Lowey Transport and the Award sponsors are Shabra Plastics and Recycling, Keenans Food and Astec.
The 12 Award Recipients
Maisie Black – Hamiltonsbawn
Seven year old Maisie Black is a beacon of light for the youth of today. A model student at Hamiltonsbawn P.S. behind her radiant smile hides one of the most caring young people you will ever meet. When her friend and classmate Ella Anderson was diagnosed with a life changing illness, Maisie immediately began to try to help Ella which culminated in Maisie climbing Slieve Donard during the summer of 2023 and in doing so she raised almost £4000 to go towards helping Ella on the road to recovery. Everyone would be blessed to have a friend like Maisie Black.
Libby Clarke – Magheralin
Often described as the sexiest farmer on TV, Libby Clarke is and has been an outstanding roll model in both agriculture and business for over 30 years, while at the same time single handedly raising two beautiful daughters and caring for her visually impaired elderly mother.
Despite having been battered black and blue with an iron bar and left for dead during an aggravated burglary at her Springfield farm which further led to her necessitating two hip replacements, Libby’s never say die attitude saw her take part in the 2023 Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon. In doing so she helped raise £10,000 for Air Ambulance NI which brought the total amount of money she has been involved in raising over the past 30 years to in excess of two million pounds.
Crossmaglen Community First Responders
Crossmaglen Community First Responders were set up almost eight years ago and in that short time frame they have become a vital part of day to day life in South Armagh. Following troujan work by former Chairman the late Thomas McKenna RIP the group now boasts 16 members and responds to almost 100 call outs every year. Their totally voluntary efforts have undoubtedly saved numerous lives.
Kieran Corr – MADS! Craigavon
Kieran Corr has been involved in amateur dramatics for most of his life. In 2002 he was one of the founding members of Moyraffeřty Arts and Drama Society which over the past 21 years has provided hundreds of young people with the facilities and opportunities to showcase their talent that may otherwise have gone undiscovered, while at the same time providing a distraction from becoming involved in anti social behaviour that has become prevalent in other areas. He has spearheaded numerous productions and is currently conducting rehearsals for their upcoming production of the Disney classic Frozen which takes to the stage in Portadown Town Hall on Friday November 17th 2023. Snow White in December will bring the curtain down on 2023 before he starts all over again in 2024 and all this while recovering from a serious illness that struck him down last year.
Kathleen Duffy – Armagh
Kathleen Duffy is one of the most caring people you will ever meet. A mother, grandmother, and great grandmother she has been caring for people and the community for over 60 years. Having devoted 46 years National Health Service as a nurse for the past 26 years she has been part of the Armagh Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage committee without whom many people would not have been able to make the journey. A volunteer with Mary’s Meals and Lislea community centre she continues to care for everyone and always can be relied on. Kathleen has a heart of gold and even though it has been broken many times, none more so than with the untimely passing of her husband and two daughters she still finds the energy to keep going and always with a smile on her. She is a real treasure.
Sean and Brian Farrell – Bessbrook
Following the death of their brother Stephen and five years later their father John through suicide Brian had Sean Farrell have campaigned relentlessly to raise awareness of the devastation that suicide causes. Every Christmas Eve for the past nine years they have spent the day fundraising on the streets of Camlough. Through this and other efforts throughout the years they have raised in excess of £60,000 for PIPS in Newry in the hope that others will not have to experience the heartache that they suffered and still suffer.
REV. Matthew Hagan MBE – Chaplain Southern Area Hospice
Revd Canon Matthew Hagan MBE has been Chaplain to the Southern Area Hospice for a long number of years. His caring and compassionate nature has been a great source of comfort to all who have met him. However his dedication to his role doesn’t stop at the pastoral side of life as he regularly undertakes major fundraising initiatives, none more so than last year when he took part in a skydive which raised thousands of pounds for the Hospice. Currently Ministering in Brackaville, Donaghhendry and Ballyclog he spent the previous 13 years in Tynan, Aghavilly and Middletown Parishes where undertook and oversaw a number of major projects while all the time tending to the needs of his flock. Earlier this year he was awarded an MBE by King Charles in recognition for his emence contribution to the people of Armagh and beyond.
Micheál McCloy – Whitecross
Micheál McCloy is no stranger to the big occasion with him regularly seen helping out at all the big matches in the Box-It Athletic Grounds in Armagh. But it is his performance o n the international football stage that has earned him a place in the final 12 of the County Armagh People of the Year. Earlier this year after he had captained his club team Well Lane Warriors to success in the Foyle Cup Disability section he was selected on the Irish Futsal team for the SUDS European Championships which were held in Italy. Five international caps later and joint top Irish scorer at the championships 2023 has been a brilliant year for the first Whitecross person to play for Ireland and all the more remarkable considering Micheál required major heart surgery as a child and had many difficult days since then.
Joel McGarry – Portadown
Following a seizure, numerous headaches and difficulties with concentration from August 2019, on the 25th of July 2022, on his 16th birthday, Joel McGarry received the devastating news that he had a brain tumour which resulted in life changing surgery two months later. Unable to play sport after the operation, which had been a major part of his life prior to that, he persevered with his studies as much as possible and earlier this year he achieved remarkable results in his GCSE exams and has now gone on to secure a prestigious apprenticeship with the Deluxe Group. He has also returned to sport and recently captained the Tír na nÓg boys football team to more success.
Unfortunately in the last few days he has received the news that the tumour has returned but despite everything he has never lost his positivity or his smile. As he says himself “I’m Alive “
Marie Morgan – Keady Surgery
Marie Morgan was one of the first nurses to train in the new school of nursing in Craigavon Area Hospital. The mother of 4 spent many years there on night duty before her passion for cardiac nursing led to her being chosen from nurses all across Northern Ireland to be part of the new nurse led Cardiac Ambulance Service. However it was her subsequent move to the medical centre in Keady, as a practice nurse in 1996 that she found her true vocation. Over the past 27 years she has given her all to the people of Keady and the surrounding areas. Numerous people have credited her with saving their lives and the high esteem that she is held in is second to none. 2023 brings the curtain down on Marie’s official career and with it the people of Keady will loose one of a kind. In her own words, “Nursing was good to me ” but the reality is Marie Morgan was and still is the ultimate outstanding nurse. Happy Retirement Marie.
Clodagh Robb – Sunrise Social Camlough
Having previously lived and worked in America, when Clodagh Robb returned to Northern Ireland to begin working as a social worker with the Southern Trust she quickly discovered that there were many people who had issues with mental health and wellbeing. Feeling that there was a need for to create more social connections she and a small team of like minded people decided to set up Camlough Sunrise Social in May 2023. Based on a similar initiative started in Australia the idea was that people could meet up at sunrise every second Saturday morning at Camlough Lake, watch the sunrise, take a dip(optional), have a coffee, have a chat, or just chill out. The idea proved to be a massive hit with over 200 people turning up on the first morning and numbers growing steadily over the summer months. Since then the group has branched out into other areas with hikes, walks and yoga now part of the initiative. Thanks to Clodagh Robb’s foresight for some of those who were in a dark place ‘The Sun will always rise tomorrow ‘.
Armagh Rural Transport – Diane Irwin
A small team of volunteers and staff know collectively as Armagh Rural Transport have been providing affordable, accessible transport to the most vulnerable in County Armagh for the past 23 years. In February of 2023 they received the devastating news that all government funding was to be cut and without it they would no longer be able to complete the hundreds of monthly trips that they had previously been doing.
Following weeks of relentless campaigning, during which local lady Anne Mallon became an overnight star on BBC Newsline they finally got the news that they would receive approximately 96% of the funding they previously had. We commend Diane Irwin and her resilient team for fighting tooth and nail to maintain and provide such a vital service within our community.
Dinner Awards Tickets
To purchase or book tickets call 07599124888 or email armaghawards@gmail.com.
Tickets are now available at Cordelias Takeaway Armagh, both the Newry Road and Killylea Road shops.
