Covid-19: Cork Person of the Year awards hit by pandemic

Manus O'Callaghan: Announcements of the monthly award winners will continue until the end of the year and the overall winner will be named in January.

The Cork Person of the Year awards has become the latest casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The organisers of what has become one of the biggest social occasions in the calendar for the city and county have decided to shelve the annual gala lunch which was scheduled to take place next January.

The event, in its 28th year, is normally attended by more than 300 guests.

Main awards organiser Manus O'Callaghan said while this event, which is sponsored by the Irish Examiner, had been cancelled, announcements of the monthly award winners would continue until the end of the year, as only the November and December awards have to be filled.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has not affected choosing our Persons of the Month this year," said Mr O'Callaghan. "Our awards scheme will continue this year and for many years to come. It is only the annual lunch that is cancelled.” 

He said the overall winner of the title would be announced through the media next January, although he said he was not yet sure what format that would take.

“Our award winners set the bar very high with their various achievements, so we too, as organisers, must set our bar very high and not accept a much-reduced event. 

“Further details of the date and means of announcement of the Cork Person of the Year will be made at year’s end.” 

Mr O'Callaghan is inviting people to nominate November and December monthly winners by sending an email to [e-mail] with information about the person they would like to nominate and the reason they feel they would be deserving of the award.

The list of monthly award winners to date can be found on the Cork Person of the Year Facebook page.