Mighty Quinn honoured in People of the Year awards

HE'S been man of the match more than once in his career, but being named man of the year had even the Mighty Quinn feeling humbled.

A week after his retirement from professional football, long-time Republic of Ireland stalwart Niall Quinn proved himself a crowd-pleaser in another arena when he picked up the top honour in the 28th annual People of the Year awards.

The 36-year-old Dubliner received the award after donating the full €1.5 million proceeds from his testimonial match last summer to charity.

The event, which drew a crowd of 35,000 fans, was meant to provide a retirement fund for the Sunderland striker, but instead Quinn decided to divide the money between Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin and Sunderland Children's Hospital.

He dismissed the notion it was an "act of extraordinary generosity" as the awards panel judged it, insisting he didn't deserve the money as he'd had a profitable career in his latter days playing.

He suggested other players who came by a "handy testimonial" might consider making a similar gesture when it came their turn to bid farewell to the game.

The accolade will have gone some way to easing a mind Quinn revealed was still tormented by regrets he did not take a penalty in the World Cup.

"The biggest regret is that I didn't take a penalty I let two young kids go up. I would have been happier if I had gone and missed," he said.

The soccer hero was one of eight people honoured in Dublin on Saturday night in a ceremony jointly sponsored by the ESB and Rehab.

A special one-off award to mark the 75th anniversary of the ESB was made to Dr TK Whitaker who was named Greatest Living Irish Person for his role in transforming the Irish economy in the 1950s.

The octogenarian economist who gave his name to arguably the most important economic policy document in the history of the State, was a senior civil servant in the Department of Finance when he drew up the blueprint Sean Lemass was to use to end protectionism and open the country up to free trade. He later went on to become Jack Lynch's trusted advisor on the North.

The ESB set up a new bursary, the TKW Leadership in Business Bursary, in Dr Whitaker's honour and at his

request it is to be administered by Rehab to assist people with disabilities establish themselves in business.

The other award winners were: Colm O'Gorman from Co Wexford, the founder of the One in Four support group for victims of sexual abuse, who was instrumental in forcing the issue clerical child sex abuse into the open, resulting in the State inquiry currently being planned.

Rosemary Daly from Dublin, spokesperson for the Irish Haemophilia Society, who lobbied exhaustively for the Lindsay Tribunal to be set up and supported victims and their families throughout.

Caroline Casey from Dublin, a tireless fundraiser and campaigner on issues of disability who, despite being legally blind, is in the middle of a Round the World in 80 Ways adventure to promote a can-do attitude among people with disabilities.

Joe Kernan from Crossmaglen, manager of all-Ireland football champions, Armagh, and a life-long promoter of sport and sportsmanship.

Francis Fitzsimons from Dublin who runs a primary school for impoverished children and war orphans in Mozambique, managing all the fundraising and administration himself.

Martin Daniel Gildea, a 21-year-old student who has refused to let a series of medical set-backs interfere with his studies, sports or unquenchable enthusiasm for life.

The recipients were presented with their awards by Tánaiste Mary Harney who said they were an inspiring group who had "challenged, taken personal risks and pushed the boundaries out".

"Our country and our society is the richer for their skill and determination," she said.