Offaly Person of the Year recalls his formative years in Ferbane and days as a young journalist in Tullamore

Said Mr Dooley: “May I thank you and the Offaly Person of the Year selection committee for this honour.

“Thanks to those who nominated me. It is a pleasure to share the evening with Tony Bergin, one of nature’s gentleman and a most deserving recipient of the unsung hero’s award.

“To be selected from such an illustrious list of nominees is humbling. I know many of the nominees.

“I even offered Michael Duignan career guidance advice as a young student when he contemplated a career in journalism.

“It is appropriate that we send good wishes to Ken Smollen, who has been battling cancer with characteristic resilience.

“Tonight is a celebration of friendship. That is the cornerstone of the Offaly Association, and it is a joy to be among so many friends. Thank you for taking the time to attend. I have been overwhelmed with the kind messages of goodwill, from across the Midlands and even from neighbours temporarily exiled in Antree.

“Joining the list of past Offaly persons is a privilege. This is the only time I will be bracketed with remarkable sport personalities such as Matt Connor, Pauline Curley, Pat Smullen and Shane Lowry.

“Shane may be from Clara, but we think the passion forms part of his Ferbane DNA! I went to school with Brendan and Michael and the Lowrys were wonderful neighbours in St Cynoc’s Terrace, Ferbane.

“The roll of honour features many public figures and notable Offaly personalities whom I have known and admired.

“I first met Brian Cowen on a bus to Dublin on 24^th 1973. We were schoolboys and our fathers agreed that we could travel to see Dev leaving the park on the eve of the inauguration of Erskine Childers.

“Michael Byrne is someone I value as much for his friendship as his profound scholarship.

“Reading the list of past winners this afternoon it stuck me that it really is represents the spirit of Offaly, this place I am proud to call home.

“My father was delighted to receive the Offaly Person of the Year award in 1990 and I cannot explain the emotion I feel in joining him in the list of past recipients. He was immensely proud to wear the Offaly tie and I do the same tonight in his honour.

“Born in 1916 he was the epitome of public service. Elected to Offaly County Council in 1955 he cycled to meetings in Tullamore and throughout the Ferbane Electoral Area. He was forced to use annual leave to attend council meetings and despite difficult personal circumstances operated a 24 hour service as a public representative, passionately committed to his party but blind to political differences in serving his community.

“This is a marvellous occasion of joy for my family, and I owe them all a debt of gratitude.

“The close bond between us were forged on an anvil of grief. Barbara and I were reared by Eddie Joe with the support of our assorted sisters and brother and it’s great to united here this evening. My sister Mary lives in Manchester and cannot be here but she is very much in our thoughts.

“Tonight is also tinged with sadness.

“The words of the bard of Ferbane, John Doyle spring to mind : “There are three or four we will see no more “ as I recall the loss of Emma, my nephew’s wonderful wife, my courageous  niece  Yvonne Fuchs, my inspiring nephew Damien, my beloved sister Teresa and of course my partner Brian Cooke, all taken before their time.

“This is a bitter sweet occasion, not least for Pauline Cooke and Kevin Ward but I am delighted that they, true blue Dubs, are here to fly the flag for Brian’s family.

“In accepting this award, I like to think it is partly an award for local journalism, a recognition of the way the local press can strengthen and affirm communities.

“If I learned anything from Geoff Oakley, Eddie Rogers, David Pate, Bud Burke, and Jimmy Fanning it was that news, like history, should never be the preserve of the captains and the kings.

“John O’Callaghan, Vivienne Clarke, Eddie Cunningham, Jody Corcoran, Brian Jaffray and I learned from some great mentors.

“When I joined the Tullamore Tribune I inherited David Pate’s job, his flat and his membership of Junior Chamber. Dave died recently in Canada, and it is fitting to remember him tonight and acknowledge his contribution, along with Geoff Oakley and Mary Bracken, to the development of the Tullamore Tribune. I have the happiest memories of my time in Church St.

“In Junior Chamber I made many great friends, travelled all over the world and helped cross border relations drinking Black Bush and parading through the streets of Carrickfergus with Declan Kirrane in Micheline men outfits. It’s great to see so many friends here tonight from that era.

“As a journalist I was privileged to witness sporting triumphs – and some disaster: rows, ructions, and human drama, to report on significant events including the burning of Tullamore Church, the decline of traditional industries, including the Williams Group, Midland Butter and Bacon Co, Tullamore Yarns, the first tentative steps in the development of Offaly tourism and the emergence of Offaly as a force in the National Ploughing Championship. And of course there was the golden era of the Bridge House, memorably described by journalist Declan Lynch as a Babylon in the Bog.

“I witnessed the dramatic and turbulent debates on the future of Tullamore Hospital and modestly tried to highlight the need to prepare for the decline of Bord na Mona and the ESB. I treasure the memory of walking Clara Bog and Boora with David Bellamy in 1984 when he accurately predicted the potential of the bogs of Offaly.

“I also narrowly missed being struck by a willow pattern saucer thrown by a councillor at a meeting of Offaly County Council!

“My belief in public service was shaped by my father and in St Saran’s Secondary School, Ferbane.

“I have been lucky enough to take the road less travelled and have had many adventures along the way with the most wonderful travel companions. The NUJ has provided me with a platform to advocate change and hopefully to serve.

“Whether it’s standing up for equality in Oman - where I could have been jailed for speaking up for human rights, campaigning for marriage equality, representing workers on dodgy contracts, defending journalism in the Ukraine and Gaza or seeking to protects the values of public service journalism in the face of greed, incompetence and arrogance in Donnybrook my approach has always been rooted in the belief that we are all called to be, in Heaney’s phrase, “ ambassadors of conscience.”

“Journalism is worth defending. In a world of misinformation and conspiracy theories we need to promote public interest journalism. You can help by paying your TV license and by buying a newspaper. Here in the Midlands, you have some really dedicated local journalists. Please support them.

“In this ballroom, on the third Monday in September 1982, I was put in my place.

“Offaly had won the All-Ireland Football final and after a triumphant homecoming the All-Ireland champions were feted in the Bridge House.

“I still have the menu card. Who could forget the honeydew melon, Gaelic steaks, and the basked Alaska.

“The media were graciously allocated a place of honour and local press representatives were asked by County Board pro, coincidentally Noel McCann, to look after the VIP media representatives down from Dublin: 

“Offaly was on show, and we wanted to show off to the media sceptics who had dismissed our changes of halting Kerry’s five in a row gallop. 

“Mary, who served the table, was a neighbour from Ferbane.

“As she served a platter heavily laden with steaks smothered in Gaelic sauce she was overcome with emotion as she recounted the Seamus Darby goal.

“Her obvious excitement delighted the assembled journalists, but the moment of magic turned slowly to horror as the steaks slid from the silver tray onto my lap.

“As I struggled to retain my dignity a look of relief came over Mary’s face.

Everyone else panicked.

“Jesus Seamus, she declared, looking at the assembles celebrity hacks, “I was luck it was no one important”. 

“Ferbane people keep you in your place. This is my place.

“Although I now enjoy dual citizenship among marvellous friends and neighbours, I remain enormously proud of Offaly and am grateful to each one of you for celebrating this award with me.”