Cork education visionary Don O'Leary to receive special civic award

Don O'Leary of the Cork Life Centre: 'Parents don’t like me to say it’s joyous, because some of them have shed a tear, and that’s okay, I’m not worried about tears.'

Visionary educator Don O’Leary is to receive a special civic award within weeks, the lord mayor of Cork has announced.

Colm Kelleher broke with tradition on Monday night to announce that the Cork Life Centre director will be one of the six recipients of a lord mayor’s civic award, which are normally presented in May.

It follows Mr O’Leary’s decision just after Christmas to speak publicly about his diagnosis of terminal cancer.

It’s understood that arrangements are now being discussed to facilitate the presentation of the award to Mr O'Leary within a matter of weeks.

“I am breaking with tradition somewhat by announcing one of the awards earlier in the calendar,” Mr Kelleher said.

“It is to honour a man who has been enormously influential in education across the city — a man who, with his team at Cork Life Centre, has ensured that young people who are facing challenges in their lives, do not lose out on an education.

“When he took up his role in 2006, there were six students planning to sit the Junior Cert at Cork Life Centre and now there are 55 from first year to sixth year.

"By listening to, respecting and supporting young people, using the Servol Life Centre model, he has guided hundreds of young people, many facing mental health issues or recovering from trauma, to a place where they can visualise a future for themselves, can self-motivate and can continue their education.

“By providing wraparound services for these young people, he has nurtured their self-esteem, their self-belief and given them the keys to their future.” 

Mr O’Leary, who was conferred with an honorary degree at UCC last November, was diagnosed with cancer in November 2020.

He underwent some initial treatment but in February 2021 it emerged he had stage four lung cancer, that it was terminal, and that he had eight to 11 months to live.

He spoke movingly just after Christmas about his terminal diagnosis, about his life and his love of the people at the Cork Life Centre, and the impact it has had on peoples’ lives.

“One of the reasons I’m talking about this is I spent the last year meeting parents and young people and it’s been glorious, it’s been, this is going to sound strange now, it’s been very joyous,” he said.

“Parents don’t like me to say it’s joyous, because some of them have shed a tear, and that’s okay, I’m not worried about tears.” 

Previous winners of the civic awards include soprano Cara O’Sullivan, author and playwright, Conal Creedon, and showband singer Joe MacCarthy.