We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
SPORTSPEOPLE WHO LIT up our lives in 2016 were among the winners of Rehab People of the Year awards this evening.
The ten Paralympic medallists who brought pride and glory to the country with their Rio feats were on stage to accept a joint award. These included the world-class 100-metre champ Jason Smyth as well as gold medal-winning quartet of runner Michael McKillop, cyclist Eoghan Clifford and tandem team Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal. Cyclist Colin Lynch, swimmer Ellen Keane and ‘Rebel Treble’ discus stars Orla Barry, Niamh McCarthy and Noelle Lenihan rounded out the medal-winning athletes.
The fantastic success of silver medallist sailor Annalise Murphy – Ireland’s first Olympic medal in sailing in over 35 years – saw her take Sports Person of the Year in a joint award with fellow silver-medallists rowing brothers Paul and Gary O’Donovan.
Murphy said last night that she was delighted to have helped put sailing on the map in Ireland: “I’ve noticed a spike in the amount of people giving it a go.”
Gary O’Donovan said he and brother Paul would continue to rise to new challenges and, as is his style, added to the gaiety of the nation with the remark: “We’ll keep doing our thing, keep enjoying Nana’s cooking and hopefully we’ll keep winning medals.”
International football star Robbie Keane was given the International Person of the Year award for, said the judges, “his inspirational service, leadership and passion” in the game. He said:
I have always worn the green jersey with pride and I will always be grateful for the opportunities to play for and captain the International Team. It has been the highlight of my career. It is a privilege for me and my family to receive this award.
Some rather more difficult events in 2016 were remembered at tonight’s ceremony – and the extraordinary feats of bravery carried out by ordinary people at the centre of them.
Davitt Walsh received an award for the quite unbelievable display of courage on the Sunday evening in March when a car carrying a family slipped off the pier in Buncrana, Donegal. He immediately swam to the car which had drifted some 30 metres out. Asked by 49-year-old Sean McGrotty to “save the baby”, Davitt battled to get four-month-old Rioghnach-Ann McGrotty to safety before the car went under the water. Sean, his sons Mark, 12, and Evan, 8; the children’s grandmother Ruth Daniels, 57, and their aunt Jodie-Lee, 14, all died in the tragedy.
Remembering that day, Davitt said:
The only time I feared for my safety was on my way back from the car because I thought I wasn’t going to make it back to shore. I was physically exhausted, I was struggling and I actually feared for the baby’s life more than my own. I really wanted to get her back to shore.
Heroism in another crisis was lauded last night when Alan Herdman, 24, was awarded a Young Person of the Year trophy for saving the lives of eight children in Rusheen Bay, Galway. He saw them struggling in the sea and rushed out on his paddle board, immediately pulling two children on to it who were in danger of going under. After getting them to shore, he returned to rescue three more – and the final three children were brought to safety with the help of his colleague Neil Gibson.
The long-term contributions of organisations and individuals to helping the most vulnerable in Irish society were also recognised at the ceremony in the Citywest hotel.
Brother Kevin Crowley was given awarded for his incredible work in setting up and running the Capuchin Day Centre, which has been providing hot meals, food parcels and other services to homeless people and those who are struggling to survive. Last year, for example, 8,000 children were served meals in the centre. Br Crowley – who set up the Centre in 1969 – said:
To me in this day and age it is absolutely appalling to think that people have to queue up here for baby food and for nappies. I hope I can continue as long as I can to make sure that our homeless people and the people in need will be served with dignity and with respect.
The charity which supports male victims of domestic abuse and highlights their plight, AMEN, has been in operation for nearly two decades. It also runs an incredibly busy helpline and is considered a lifeline for men facing a situation that has little recognition on a national scale, and very few dedicated services.
Parents Róisín and Mark Molloy were also honoured for their brave campaign this year in highlighting inadequate standards in maternity services in Ireland. More than 80 families are getting reviews into the care they received following extensive research, meeting and endless patience and determination by the Molloys to establish the true circumstances of their baby son Mark’s death at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise.
Since their efforts, highlighted on an RTÉ Prime Time Investigates programme, the country’s first-ever Perinatal Bereavement Standards were launched and the report into Mark’s death led to other new measures, including a national patient advocacy service.
The youngest person on the night to receive an award was 11-year-old Milo McCarthy who raised nearly €18,000 for Syrian refugees by busking on the streets of Cork – his efforts were brought to attention on the Late Late Show and spread awareness of the Syrian situation as well as raising funds for the Red Cross.
Rounding off the feelgood moments of the year were John Muldoon and Pat Lam, awarded for leading Connacht rugby team to its first trophy in 131 years.
“With nominations coming from the people of Ireland, these truly are the ‘People’s Awards’ and reflect all that is good about our society,” said CEO of Rehab Group, Mo Flynn.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
So they have all agreed on how much extra taxation is needed to save the world.
@Derek Anderson: nope.
For an example. Moving to an electric family car costs about €45k – €60k which most of us don’t have to spend on a car. How is the regular working person or family to go green when it’s financially crippling.
@TheKloppKop: the year 2180 will do
@TheKloppKop: that’s just your transportation! Retrofit your house to the new standard and add another €100,000 on minimum
How come our planet is after becoming so fragile all of a sudden. Another plan to restrict people’s movement.
@John brett: where are you getting this all of a Sudden, they have been saying this decades.
@Sue Kelly: Yes they have been saying this for decades. That’s why people are complacent. They are doing nowhere near enough to address the problem they are talking about. People think we have plentry of time. And let’s face it. Very few are prepared to make the sacrifices that are realistically needed to make the difference; you and me included.
@John brett: planet has always been fragile, a combination of 6 Celsius warming and/or over hunting killed off the Giant Irish Elk, the mammoth, wolly rhinoceros, dire wolves, saber toothed tigers, North America Camels and horses, and many other megafauna, and also 2 subspecies of humans (Neanderthal and Devensovan).
We’ve been very lucky these past 10,000 years, global temperature have hardly varied by 1 degree Celsius, that said a little further warming was enough to turn the Sahara from a green oasis to a desert by 6000 years ago. That happened over several thousand years, not 100.
@Vonvonic: What sacrifices would that be Sue? I recycle as much as is humanly possible, I try not to turn on the heat unless it’s baltic, I cycle to work, and much and all as I’d love to buy an electric car, I couldn’t afford one. Been green comes at a great cost which the average person can’t afford, so what I outlined earlier is about all I can contribute.
@The Firestarter: You shouldn’t personalise what I’ve said. Greta is right. To solve this problem is going to take wholesale structural changes on how we live… all of us. I don’t see it happening to be honest… we’re way to find of our stuff for that.
@Vonvonic: fond
@Vonvonic: that’s baloney. I swear that gremlins head will do a 360 one of these days. I can’t afford to be green. Even the new refill deodorant is €25 or something. I can get 2 pairs of jeans for that.
@The Firestarter: Sure even if you got an electric car eventually you won’t even be able to charge the thing. Our energy policy for the future seems to revolve around wind…
Unless China and American come on board we are at nothing.
@marcusmckenna: absolutely. Well said
@Anna Carr: Their choices shouldn’t impact ours. We already owe them 100 years of carbon emissions, and their excessive emissions in the last 2 decades are one of the sole stimuli that prevented total global collapse post 2008.
Regardless, if just Europe went carbon neutral by 2030 it would still buy more time for the transition.
This needs to be done. And any contribution will help stave off complete catastrophe and save some extra fraction of our civilisation
If you think I’m being dramatic: it’s accepted that 1.5°+ of heating will doom vulnerable nations. This puts us on course for 2.7°. That will doom the southern stretches of the north and have catastrophic impacts on the productivity of farmlands.
It’s the end of our civilisation.
Anything that can delay that will help.
@Alan Dunne: We already owe them 100 years of carbon emissions…lol
Unlike Europe China has been using coal for 6,000 years
China & India had an iron industry in 1300BC, they were mass producing iron and later steel products 1,000 years before Europe, the iron & later steel industry became a state monopoly in China in 200BC.
Yep, so if we just get people to pay more taxes the Climate God will be Appeased and will not destroy us.
How wonderful now could they take Eamonn Ryan and send him to MARS
Ireland is but a dot in the Atlantic Ocean so no matter what we do will make no difference but Irish people will pay the price in taxes
@Colette Mooney: you’re correct of course that carbon taxes have very little to do with limiting the climate catastrophe but if Ireland were to decide to act effectively, equitably, and immediately, even alone, it’s not something we should hesitate to do.
Developing energy independence, sustainable farming, these are things that will stand us in very good stead to face whats coming.
And though our actions alone won’t stop it, they will delay it, even marginally, and even a delay can help us avert civilisational catastrophe if everyone gets on board eventually.
Followed it a lot this week to see what could be done and all I heard was some of the best fiction speeches you’ll ever hear
If you and me would stop buying tat and trashing the planet.. In other words the root cause of the problem it seems to me, is insatiable consumerism. This Christmas is a good place to start.
@Charles Barker: well said
Forget about Ireland….have a look at the 16 lane Highways in LA full of large 4 x 4 ‘s with 5ltr engines
COP-OUT26, nothing of real substance agreed. India, USA, China and Russia are inserting loopholes which can effectively negate any commitments.
The biggest load of ballix
Any mention of the rainforests?
I feel sorry for the people that believe the aspirational political doublespeak and rhetoric that comes from politicians at these summits.
Politicians speaking about climate change or carbon emissions should have to wear and display corporate sponsorship, in the same way as motor racing drivers do.
It’s much more revealing to look at what the any past commitments have resulted in on these issues, rather than the can kicking soundbites which are meant to delfate and negate the legitimate arguments and campaigns, which challenge the financial interests of their corporate sponsors.
They operate on a simple formula, issue a meaningful soundbite to placate the masses, over a long enough timeframe so they think its being addressed, but they also dont expect to see results any time soon..
Anything there that won’t be completely useless and cost us a fortune?
@Anna Carr: Rumour has it Eamon Ryan returned with massive Euro signs in his eyes and a strange, twisted smile. Must have gone really well!
Ugh god you lot give over about tax and the cost of this. Do you want to live or not? Do you want a safe world for your kids? The economy is what we make it. Nature doesn’t care about it. Which do you think would win? Nature or the economy? Hint: one had been around a lot longer and has survived mass extinction before.
Órla is busy typing
Interestingly there’s no mention of Germany’s stance on this (who, you know, also happens to be EU’s powerhouse): https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/government-dispute-over-e-fuels-stops-germany-signing-cop26-car-pledge
Nor is there any mention of where the likes of Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, and BMW stand wrt the issue.
One wonders why.. Could it be that by creating the notion that everyone is (and must be) behind this, additional taxes and cost of living skyrocketing will be easier to swallow? Talking about selective reporting 101…
Why don’t just provide us all with electric cars if they are that concerned.
A lot of people are being left behind in the rush to be green.
Not that they will notice as smugness goes with the gig.
The idea that everybody can walk and cycle everywhere is a typical example.
The idea that everyone can afford to live a green lifestyle.
An awful lot of us can barely afford to live at present.
Of course we don’t matter and we won’t be asked or conducted with.
Real equality is one of the first casualties of these policies.
Rules are regulations don’t count anymore.
Just say your saving the planet and you get away with anything.
have your say