Cordelias Foundation is a non-profit entity that sources hot food and delivers it free of charge to the homeless, recently bereaved families and numerous front line workers within a 10 mile radius of Armagh City.
CORDELIAS FOUNDATION
County Armagh People Of The Year Awards 2022
Saturday 19th November 2022
Armagh City Hotel
Saturday 19th November 2022
Armagh City Hotel
Black Tie & Evening Wear Event
Drinks Reception
Dinner Served at 7.30pm Sharp
Awards Ceremony
Dancing
Dress Code: Black Tie & Evening Wear
TICKETS £60
The 12 Award Recipients
To Vote for the Overall County Armagh Person of the Year
Text AWARDS followed by the name of one of the 12 finalists above to the shortcode 64343.
Lines close at 5pm on Saturday, November 19th.
EACH TEXT ENTRY COSTS £1.00 PLUS A STANDARD NETWORK RATE MESSAGE
52p FROM EACH VOTE GOES TO CORDELIAS FOUNDATION, TO BE DONATED TO CHARITABLE CAUSES.
Users must be 18+ & have the bill payers permission.
Service provided by Digital Select Ltd. Helpline: 03301039999. For entertainment purposes only.
If you have any queries please contact: 07599 124888 or email armaghawards@gmail.com
Rachel Mc Parland has been involved with youth clubs since she was 8 years of age, progressing from member to volunteer and now to a career as a youth worker. An inspiration to those around her, her appointment as youth worker, in charge of Epicentre Armagh, has seen the Epicentre transformed with scores of young people flooding back to the facility to partake in various activities that will benefit them and the community for many years to come. As a mother of three young children, she also finds time to get involved in her local community residence group and recently won a league title for her GAA ladies team. She is an invaluable member of the County Armagh Youth Work team.
Following the tragic death of their brother James Reel, Aishling Martin and Majella Murphy decided to build a playpark in their native Silverbridge in his memory and also to give something back to the local community that had been so supportive of them. Despite the offer of a site from Silverbridge GAA, they soon discovered that no funding, no grants or help of any kind from official sources would be available to them. Undeterred, under the banner Time2Play, the magnificent seven fronted by Aishling and Majella set off on a journey paved with sleepless nights, tears and laughter but a journey which would see them raise £120,000 in 11 shorts months. The first sod was turned in May 2022 and the James Reel playpark officially opened on Sunday Nov. 6th 2022 – a truly remarkable achievement. Now everyone can, and should, take Time2Play.
Ita Gibney and Niall Murray are two volunteers that run Newtown Community Centre. The centre provides a working space for the whole community and the programme that they have put together offers a wide range of activities that help unite people throughout the area. The are renowned for the time they spend (sometimes in the wee hours) on administration work so as to make sure that no opportunity is missed in their efforts to maximise the support they can provide and the opportunities they can offer to all, for the benefit of the community. Working alongside other local groups, be it sharing space or information, they were also at the heart of the Covid 29 response and offered a wide range of support to those that needed it.
Aidan O’Rourke has been part of Drumintee Gaelic Athletic Association for many years, which paved the way for him onto the county panel. A member of the 2002 Armagh All Ireland winning team, he has since gone on to be a highly sought after coach and has been involved with a number of county teams both sides of the border and has recently been appointed coach of Donegal’s intercounty team. Despite all the high-profile appointments, it is his commitment and dedication to his club that stands out. He is deeply involved in the club at all levels and in 2022 he lead 2 underage teams to All Ireland success.
As proprietor of Sunnymead Residential home, Linda Nesbitt had given over 20 years of her life to the care of numerous people from county Armagh and beyond. Having built up an amazing team of managers, care staff and support staff, Linda and Sunnymead were awarded Northern Ireland care home of the Year in 2016. Her unparalleled focus on her residence and her efforts to personalise the care of and enhance the lives of all who live there and her ability to find a way to make the impossible possible, has saw Sunnymead grow from strength to strength. The commitment and compassion showed by the whole team ensure that Sunnymead remained Covid 19 free throughout the pandemic – a major achievement in itself.
Paudy Smith is a HGV driver in Camlough. In 2018, he founded the Keep Er Lit for Ellen Truck Show which raised £22,000 and played a significant part in helping five year old, Ellen Trainor, on the road to recovery. Since then he has been involved in other fundraisers, which culminated in the Keep Er Lit team raising £55,000 in 2022 for PIPS. This brings the total raised to date to over £120,000. None of this would have been possible without the drive, power and passion of Paudy Smith.
Cora McLoughlin is the youngest of 11 siblings. In early summer of 2022 two of her sisters became seriously ill. Since then, the level of care and devotion that she has shown to them is second to none. One sister had a peg tube fitted and Cora unselfishly volunteered to become trained to administer this, so that her sister would be able to return home. After numerous hospital visits, through Cora’s intervention, both sisters were allowed to return home and, since then, she provides constant care to them in their own homes, while also caring for her own family. As the saying goes ‘She is an Armagh Gem.’
Jack Maher is undoubtably one of the stars of the future and an inspiration to all young people throughout the Ireland of Ireland. A talented musician, singer and sportsperson, it is his achievement in education that has seen him shortlisted for the County Armagh Person of the Year 2022. As a standout student in primary school, with the encouragement of his family and teachers, Jack sat his Math’s GSCE in 2022 and, at the tender age of 11 years, received an A*. To achieve an A* at any age is a great achievement but for someone as young as Jack, this is truly remarkable.
Gerard Greene, a retired bricklayer from Craigavon, like most men of his age was reluctant to visit doctors or anything to do with medical check-ups. Following persistent nagging from his family he eventually decided to go for a check-up and, to his shock, he discovered he had cancer. Following a successful course of treatment, he decided to go public with his story and, as the local voice of the Cancer Awareness Campaign, his bravery about sharing his own story has undoubtably saved the lives of other people.
Rebecca Collings is a mum – an extraordinary mum. She is/was a single mum, a bereaved mum, a step-mum, a foster mum, a working mum and a special needs mum, (Rebecca’s youngest child, Carys, was born in 2020 with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus) who has gone through most of her life without her own mum. Working as a primary school teacher, Rebecca has dedicated her life to making the lives of others better. She has improved the lives of so many in her own modest and humble way, and all with the most infectious smile you’ll ever see.
Alivia, Myia, Tom and Harry Wilson love the great outdoors. As part of the Eco Aware Club, they have taken a keen interest in the environment, wherever they go. In previous years, during their many trips to Cranfield beach, they became part of the clean up morning on the beach. However, this year it was their daily cycle and scooter rides to the Mall in Armagh, that highlighted the care and understanding they have for the environment. Worried for the community, they took matters into their own hands and decided to do a big clean up, which they continued to do all Summer. On wet days they love nothing more than to use recycling to make wonderful and though provoking inventions. As students of Saints and Scholars school, their care and generosity to their fellow students, is paramount to that of their care for the environment.
Louise Skeath is Chief Executive of family business SDG, a specialist supplier of essential products to the construction industry across NI, Ireland & UK. In September 2015, Louise joined the family business which was created in 1990 by Seamus Duffy. Louise took over as CEO in 2019 and since then has saw it become a worldwide company with sales as far away as Dubai. She was awarded Director of the Year, SME Business at the 2021 Institute of Directors Northern Ireland (IoD NI) Director of the Year Awards. During her time as CEO, SDG has raised substantial amounts for a number of local charities. This, combined with her success in what is traditionally a male dominated industry, has made her one of County Armagh’s Women in Business to be proud of.
Tickets
Tickets will be available from Friday November 4th 2022. To purchase or book tickets call 07599124888 or email armaghawards@gmail.com. Tickets are also available at Cordelias Takeaway Armagh, call 02837527890 or 07566744600.
Tickets can be bought individually at £60 each or a table for 10 at £600.
List of Nominees
Rachel McParland – Lurgan
Willie Monahan – Darkley
Aimee Mackin
Peter Wilkinson – Portadown
Friary Surgery Armagh
Killeavy Castle Staff
Gerard Greene (Bricklayer) – Craigavon
Brian Vallely – Armagh
Louise Skeath – Tullygoonigan
Chris Judge – Portadown
Aishling Toner – Cullyhanna
Paudy Smith – Camlough
Alex Glenn – Lurgan
Chloe Wilson – Portadown
Nikki Hill
Rebecca Collings – Lurgan
Louise Taylor
Colin Hayburn
Aodhaan Connolly – Portadown
Lucy Johnston – Richhill
Alan Armstrong Almac
Arthur and Eileen Reid – Tandragee
Edel Ferson – Armagh
Ann McGinley – Armagh
Kathleen Moore – Bessbrook
Kathleen Duffy – Armagh
Rory Best – Poyntzpass
Ian Marshall – Markethill
Linda Nesbitt – Sunnymead
Jacqueline Prentice – Killylea
Sheila Powell Lisummon
Niall Creighton – Markethill
Stuart McDonald and Brendan Fearon
Jacqueline O’Reilly – Keady
John and Benny Robinson
Lisa Mc Cooey
Elizabeth Henderson – Tandragee
Seth Dunwoody & Sam Coleman-Hamiltonsbawn
Megan Bothwell – Armagh
Denise Carroll – Madden
Tynan Surgery
Sonya Blair
Niamh Noade – Lislea
Sergeant Darren Welsh
Matthew Bird – Portadown
Lyle English – Lurgan
Benjamin Abraham – Tandragee
Cora Mc Loughlin – Armagh
Nora Quigley – Armagh
Jarlath Óg Burns
Bubba Ali – Armagh
Trevor Lockhart – Fane Valley
Majella Murphy & Aishling Martin – Time2Play
George Ballentine – Markethill
Caroline O’Hanlon
Susan McCann
Dr. Frances O’Hagan – Armagh
Ita Gibney and Niall Murray – Newtownhamilton
Karen and Marty Kelly – Richill
Benny O’Kane – Armagh
Peter Donnelly – Keady
Aidan O’Rourke – Drumintee
Aislinn Higgins – Lurgan
Martina and John Quigley
Alivia, Myia, Tom & Harry Wilson – Armagh
Jack Maher – Aghagallon
Eithna Donaldson – Armagh
Pat McGinn – Camlough
Richard Hunter – Markethill
James Sandford – Kilmore
Maura Quinn
Andrew Nesbitt – Armagh Rugby
Janet & Gordon Auld – Armagh
Emma Mc Cartney
Ruth Ann Caddell – Markethill
Claire Beckett – Donaghcloney
Ivan Walker – Markethill
Ryan Nelson – Lurgan
Eddie Drury – Glenavon
Anne Forsythe – Tandragee
Michael Kelly – Drumcullen Road
Stephen McCleary – Armagh
Livingstone Family – Killylea
Mark McSherry (barber) – Armagh
Andy Gilkinson – Lurgan
Cian McConville – Crossmaglen
Marty Rafferty – Armagh
Award Rules
Eligibilty
Anyone who has or who has ever had a connection with County Armagh is eligible to be nominated.
They can be nominated for their achievements, their contribution to society or for the obstacles they have overcome that makes them an Armagh person to be proud of.
Rules
- To be eligible for the final 12, nominees must be able to confirm that they are available to attend the Gala Ball in the Armagh City Hotel on Saturday, November 19th
- A nominee who knowingly falsely declares their availability to attend the Gala Ball in the Armagh City Hotel on Saturday, November 19th will be disqualified from receiving an award.
- The 12 nominees will be chosen on a combination of the reason for their nomination and the public votes that they receive.
- The decision of the judges (consisting of 3 media representatives in the county, one Cordelias Foundation representative and one judge from outside of the county) is final.
- Cordelias Foundation reserve the right to amend the rules without prior notice.
- Anyone who received a County Armagh people of the Year Award in 2021 is NOT eligible.
Sponsors
For those that have been nominated and have not made the final 12, Cordelias Foundation will give a percentage of the tickets for the County Armagh People of the Year Awards Gala Ball, which cost £60 each, complimentary (on a lottery basis) to the nominees and also to front line workers.
With this generosity in mind, Cordelias Foundation are calling on all businesses and organisations throughout the county Armagh to consider sponsoring a ticket for a nominee or for a front line worker.
Any business that wishes to sponsor an award is also welcome to contact Cordelias Foundation.
Main Sponsor
Cordelias Takeaway Armagh
Drinks Reception Sponsor
MT Waste Management & Manufacturing Ltd
Award Sponsors
Shabra Plastic and Recycling
Keenans Food
How to Vote – CLOSED
To vote for someone who has already been nomianted text ‘VOTE’ followed by the person’s name to 07599 124888 or email us at armaghawards@gmail.com. Voting will close at 5pm on Friday 28th October 2022.
The chosen 12 will be announced on Tuesday the 1st November and the second round of voting for the overall person of the year will continue until 5pm on Saturday, 19th November 2022 (the day of the Gala Ball).
**If you are having trouble sending your vote via text/email, you can contact us privately via our Instagram or Facebook page.**
How to Nominate – CLOSED
To nominate someone text their name, where they are from and the reason why you want to nominate them to 07599 124888 or email us at armaghawards@gmail.com.
**If you are having trouble sending your nomination via email/text, you can contact us privately via our Instagram or Facebook page.**
Nominations will close at 5pm on Monday 24th October 2022.