"People of the Year" 2004

Three Inishowen men, John A McLaughlin, Neil Doherty and Clement MacSuibhne, have been rewarded for years of dedication to their local communities by being named among eleven winners of the 2004 Donegal County Council/REHAB "People of the Year" Awards.

The awards are celebrating their tenth anniversary, and Donegal County Council and REHAB organisers were delighted with the enormous number of nominations received, the highest ever, reflecting the importance to the county of the social impact of the event.

John McLaughlin is a local historian, community activist, small farmer and champion for the needs of disadvantaged people, he has given a voice to those who had none. John has been a founder member of many committees and organisations and has provided leadership and has been a central figure in community activity in, and for, his community for over forty years, and author of "Carrowmenagh, History of a Donegal Village" the proceeds of which he has donated to local charities.

Neil Doherty's other name in Buncrana is "Mr Pantomime", and he possesses an unique ability to nurture, motivate and inspire local amateur talents to perform consistently during their annual three weekly pantomime season, which has raised thousands of pounds and euros for local charities since 1976. In the past eighteen months he has been involved in the production of, and is one of the artistes on, a CD of hymns of reflection called "Speaking to God", a very successful project which has seen all the proceeds going to the Buncrana Community Nursing Unit, where he also gives of his time, twice weekly, in a voluntary capacity contributing to the patients lives as an entertainer and to their spiritual needs.

Clement MacSuibhne was born in Ardara, and moved to the Inishowen area in 1952, and since then his contribution to his local community of Inishowen has been enormous, having being the driving force of of many local endeavours, through his involvement with such activities as the Malin School Choir, Ceili and Feiseanna and the founding of a Teach Ceoil in Clonmany, the founding of an Inish Eoghan branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, (an organisation of which he became President General in 1997. He is one of the founding members of Ballyliffin Golf Club, and is involved with the Irish Heart Foundation.

The other winners are:-

Patsy Croal, Ballyshannon, Gerry Gillespie, Glencolmcille, Billy Geary, Castlefin, Gerard Sharkey, St Johnston, Clodagh Duggan, Glenties, Eamonn McGee, Falcarragh, Anthony Molloy, Ardara, Brian Anderson, Ballybofey.

Tickets for the evening will be available next week, and telephone enquiries may be made to the REHAB Foundation's Regional Organiser, Amanda Crawford at 074 9735836 or 086 6535888.

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