Ten of the city and county’s finest groups and individuals were recognised for their commitment over a huge range of areas when they were revealed as Galway’s People of the Year 2024 at a Gala Banquet in the Galway Bay Hotel last weekend.

This year’s Galway People of the Year include Kilbeacanty native and New York based Eamon Shiel; Sean Nee from Ballyconnelly; Building for Children Volunteers; Moanbaun Sports Development Committee; Joe Collins from Lackagh; publican Sean O’Donohoe from Abbeyknockmoy; Mary O’Connor and the Tome Chanters; Joe Kennelly and Dermot O’Neill of Gentle Swimmers; Caroline Downey, founder of Charlotte’s Vision, and the Oranmore camogie team of the 1970’s.

Over 400 guests were in attendance on the night, led by the City Mayor Cllr Peter Keane and Galway City Council CEO Leonard Cleary.

All recipients were interviewed on stage by MC Ollie Turner of Galway Bay FM before being presented with their awards by sponsor Basil Holian of Watchman Holdings.

Speaking at the function, organiser Ollie Robinson said the awards recognised those who had done their county and community proud at home or abroad.

“Some supported others in their darkest hours and brought joy and light to the lives of others – but all were ordinary people who had worked incredibly hard to enrich the lives of others,” he said.

Caption: Pictured t the Galway People of the Year Awards were (front – from left) Caroline Downey, Tommy Fahy of the Moanbaun Sports Committee, Eamon Shiel, Mayor of Galway Cllr Peter Keane, Basil Holian of Watchman Holdings, Bridgie Hanley and Nono McHugh of Oranmore Camogie Joe Collins, Sean O’Donohoe, with (back) Ollie Turner MC, Brendan McDonnell and Padraig Conlon of Building for Children, Bernice Forde Carolan, Sean Nee, Mary O’Connor of Tome Chanters, Joe Kennelly and Dermot O’Neill of Gentle Swimmers, and Awards Organiser Ollie Robinson. Photos Sean Lydon

Read the full report with two pages of photographs in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.