Rugby coach Kidney firm favourite for person of year award

THE bookies have installed Ireland rugby coach Declan Kidney as firm favourite to grab yet another prestigious accolade – this time in his home town.

Kidney, who is from Bishopstown, Cork, coached Ireland to their best season last year. They captured the Triple Crown, Six Nations Championship and Grand Slam.

The men in green remained unbeaten at the end of the season, drawing with Australia and taking the scalp of World Champions South Africa.

Deservedly, the former maths teacher and career guidance officer at Presentation Brother College, Cork, was named IRB Coach of the Year.

But he is also favourite to walk away with the honour of Cork Person of the Year Award.

The 50-year-old steered Munster to two Heineken Cups (2006 and 2008) and last season also coached Ireland A to their first ever Churchill Cup win.

The 17th annual awards ceremony – initiated by Manus O’Callaghan of Southern Advertising – will take place at Fota Island Golf & Spa Hotel on January 22.

There are others who could be in the running, though. One of them is Conor Buckley, who pulled off an amazing coup by persuading the people of west Cork to part with hundreds of thousands of euro as part of a business venture aimed at restarting the Cork-Swansea ferry route.

Mr Buckley eventually secured a loan from a Finnish bank, with enabled the co-operative purchase the MV Julia, which will set sail on March 1.

There are also other dark horses in the line-up who couldn’t be ruled out, including February’s monthly award winner, Sr Pauline Casey. The Presentation Order nun was given the award to mark her contribution to educating deaf people and integrating hard of hearing children to mainstream education at St Columba’s school.

Liam Nolan got the August monthly award, marking his career as Radio Éireann’s legendary broadcaster some years ago, plus top TV, sports anchor at home and around the world, and currently acclaimed author of 11 books.

He couldn’t be ruled out of contention, just like the grandnephew of War of Independence hero Michael Collins.

Michael Collins-Powell won a monthly award for his many years of voluntary service, especially with the Cope Foundation.

Donal Ring of the famous Donal Ring Céilí Band was honoured for his 50 years contribution to promoting céilí music and dance in Ireland, Europe, USA and Canada.

Other monthly award winners included Pat Dorgan. He was acknowledged for multi-medal wins in tennis at the Special Olympics and for his promotion of the 2011 Special Olympics in Athens.

Gerry Murphy, Cork’s entertaining, provocative and political poet, known as the Poet Laureate of the People’s Republic of Cork, in also in the line-up, as is Peter Kelly, a Fermoy man better know as the wedding organiser ‘Franc.’

John Purcell got last September’s monthly award for his voluntary contribution to Ballincollig GAA Club, and leading them to sporting honours as chairman of the Juvenile and Senior sections.

Eileen Nolan was honoured for establishing the Montfort Performing Arts College and for her many decades of work as a teacher, producer and director and giving generations a taste of theatre magic.

Farmers’ sons John D O’Callaghan and Liam McCarthy are the youngster monthly award winners. They won the BT Irish Young Scientist of the Year and the EU Young Scientist for their somatic cell count test method to detect infection in milk cows.

Guest of Honour at the event will be President Mary McAleese and Dr Martin McAleese and the MCs will be Pat Kenny from RTÉ and Brian Crowley MEP.

Cork City manager Joe Gavin, county manager Martin Riordan and Bishop of Cork and Ross Dr John Buckley will, meanwhile, have the difficult task of picking a winner.

“The guiding philosophy of these awards is to honour achievement and celebrate success so that others may be inspired to follow, and we certainly have quality role models this year and any one of them would be a fitting Cork Person of the Year,” Manus O’Callaghan said.