Shortlist for Jack Lynch award

SEVERAL leading Cork people, including a former Fine Gael tánaiste, have been shortlisted for a new award named after former taoiseach Jack Lynch.

The Jack Lynch Perpetual Shield will be presented to the winner in January during a commemorative event designed to honour the memory and legacy of the late Mr Lynch, the former Fianna Fáil party leader, and one of Ireland’s most popular politicians.

The winner will be someone deemed by the Jack Lynch Commemoration Committee who has made an outstanding contribution to the people of Lynch’s native city.

Among the nominees are former Fine Gael minister and businessman Peter Barry, Labour Lord Mayor Michael O’Connell and former Fine Gael Lord Mayor Dara Murphy.

The committee hopes to invite three speakers to the awards ceremony to discuss Lynch from a historical, political and personal perspective.

Jack Lynch was born in the shadow of St Anne’s Church in Shandon in 1917.

He was first elected to the Dáil in 1948, and was re-elected at each general election until his retirement in 1981.

He served two terms as taoiseach — from 1966 to 1973 and from 1977 to 1979