Town honours journalist ‘Johnny’ as he puts typewriter away after 46 years
Mayor of Midleton, Mary Woods, said the town council reception for John was to acknowledge many years of service to the community not just in her town, but in other parts of East Cork and West Waterford.
She recalled that, as a staff reporter with the newspaper, he attended his first Midleton Town Council meeting in 1969, and continued to write about its goings-on for 37 years.
“That says an awful lot about your stamina and tolerance John, and for that alone you deserve recognition,” the mayor joked.
She added that, over the years, he had reported on momentous events such as the Claudia gun-running incident, off Helvick Head, the IRA kidnapping of Lord and Lady Donoughmore, near Clonmel, and the Dungarvan Aids story.
She pointed out that Pope John Paul II gave John his own rosary beads after he had a private audience with him at the Vatican, in 1987.
At the time Johnny, as he’s affectionately known to his friends, had been covering the installation of John Magee as Bishop of Cloyne.
Ms Woods said: “I want to thank you [John] for the benefits of your undoubted talents in not only bringing news stories and matters of interest to this and other communities, but for the standard of your reports with your keen and discerning intelligence and your lucid, clear and perceptive analysis, which made them not only informative but enlightening, and so, of value to us all.”
John was presented with a sculpture by the town council, while his wife, Eileen was given a bouquet of flowers. Among the dignitaries to attend were Irish Examiner editor Tim Vaughan, retired district court judge Bernard Carroll, former superintendent Maurice Murray and hotelier Tom Kelly.
