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Tralee Soup Kitchen volunteers Collette Price, John Leahy, Mary Dolan, Kerry O’Connell and Rev Jim Stephens. Photo by Dermot Crean
EIGHT worthy recipients of the annual Fexco Kerry Heroes Awards were recognised on a special Kerry Today programme with Jerry O’Sullivan this morning.
They were Batt Burns, Sharon Donovan, Alannah Dunleavy, Sean O’Shea, Noreen Everett, Chemotherapy Unit Staff at University Hospital Kerry, Tralee Soup Kitchen Staff and Cathal Walshe.
Each of the recipients received a specially created 2022 award, crafted and sponsored by Louis Mulcahy Pottery/Potadóireacht na Caolóige, Clogher, Ballyferriter.
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The Kerry Heroes award, organised by Radio Kerry and supported by Fexco are now in their 4th year and to date over 120 nominations have been received from all over the county for both groups and individuals.
The panel who has the task of choosing the annual winners had a difficult task to choose the 8 eventual award winners.
These are some brief details on each of the recipients
Sean O’Shea
• Sean O’Shea — The Kenmare Shamrocks man and that golden moment in the sunshine when he helped Kerry to topple the Dubs with the free facing into the Hill.
Kerry Hero winner Cathal Walshe with Dermot Crowley of Recovery Haven who nominated him.
• Cathal Walshe – 40 years as PRO of the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle – Cathal has played a vital role in developing the event that has funnelled 18million to Kerry charities over the last 4 decades – just a small bit of the work Cathal does in the community
• Sharon Donovan from Annascaul — hers is a story of a friend who stepped up in a time of need and loss – extraordinary help at the most difficult time for her friends family.
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Alannah Foley and family.
• Alannah Foley – 5 year old Alannah from Killorglin has faced more health challenges than many adults do in their whole lives and all with good humour and grace – her fight for sight has inspired the county.
The Chemotherapy Unit staff at UHK.
• Chemotherapy Unit Staff University Hospital Kerry – For their incredible work and support they give to Kerry people and their families who going through the toughest and most daunting of times
Noreen Everett with Michael Everett.
• Noreen Everett – Noreen Everett has fostered over 100 children over the last 30 years working in a system that changes lives and plays a vital role in the lives of children who need it but doesn’t always get the recognition or support it deserves
• Batt Burns – Seanchaí/storyteller. Batt is the man behind the Sneem Storytelling festival who has attracted droves of tourists from the US and elsewhere to here the rich heritage of Kerry stories
• Tralee Soup Kitchen Staff – The volunteer team that operates out of Teach an tSolais parish centre for St John’s Church of Ireland in Ashe Street, Tralee. Every Saturday they look after anything up to 100 people.
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