4 January 2026
By Bryan McCarthy
bryan@TheCork.ie
This year’s MCs will be RTÉ’s Miriam O’Callaghan and Marty Morrissey
Another year of exceptional achievement and community spirit in Cork will be celebrated at the 33rd Cork Person of the Year Annual Gala Awards Lunch on 23rd January 2026 at the newly renovated Metropole Hotel.
The event will see the crowning of 2025’s Cork Person of The Year, selected from a truly inspiring list of monthly winners, alongside a selection of other awards including the Cork Person of the Year Hall of Fame Award, the Honorary Cork Person Award, and the Supreme Cork Award.
RTÉ’s Miriam O’Callaghan and Marty Morrissey will serve as MCs at the event.
One of the following Cork Persons of the Month will take home Cork’s biggest honour at January’s lunch:
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January: Sheena Crowley – For her successful, relentless campaign to keep Rory Gallagher’s iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster in Ireland and for securing other Gallagher instruments for a Cork museum.
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February: Joe Byrne – Recognised for four decades of selfless community work, including consistently providing free haircuts to the homeless and to children for back-to-school and communions.
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March: Tom Butler – The dedicated Chairman who led Ballincollig Tidy Towns for over 25 years to be crowned the National Supervalu TidyTowns Winner and Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre 2024.
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April: Prof. Gary Murphy – Honoured for the excellence of his work studying modern Irish politics, including his contributions to RTÉ election coverage and his acclaimed biography of Charlie Haughey.
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May: Patrick Coughlan – Celebrated for his visionary role in the establishment of Cork MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service), which evolved into a vital national financial safety net.
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June: Michael Kiely – An 80-year-old runner who secured two gold medals in the over-80s 800m and 1500m events at the World Masters Indoor Championships in Florida, inspiring others with his remarkable athletic longevity.
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July: Deirdre McCarthy – For her groundbreaking achievement as the first woman to lead RTÉ’s News & Current Affairs division as Managing Director, demonstrating a strong commitment to journalistic integrity.
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August: Justine Looney & Edel Curtin – A joint award recognising their work as business leaders and community activists whose efforts revitalised Douglas Street and secured a Pride of Place Award for the area.
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September: Garry McCarthy – The Creative Director of The Kabin Studio, honoured for his transformative work empowering youth through hip-hop, including the viral global hit, “The Spark,” celebrating self-expression.
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October: Fiona Corcoran – Honoured as the founder of the Greater Chernobyl Cause, which has provided vital humanitarian aid to victims of nuclear radiation and war for over two decades, especially since the invasion of Ukraine.
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November: Dr. Geoff Gould – Recognised for founding the West Cork Fit-Up Theatre Festival sixteen years ago, reviving a wonderful tradition to bring professional, high-quality theatre to rural and isolated communities.
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December: Professor Rónán Collins – For his vital work as a Consultant in Geriatric and Stroke Medicine and Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for Stroke, and for raising public awareness of care failings in private nursing homes.
The task of selecting Cork Person(s) of the Year 2025 is now in the hands of the judges: the Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Valerie O’Sullivan, and the Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell.
Presentations will be made by the Lord Mayor of Cork and the Mayor of the County of Cork at the event.
For additional further information see www.corkpersonoftheyear.ie or the Cork Person of the Year Facebook or Instagram.