The JP McManus Pro Am Organising Committee has been named Limerick Persons of the Year for 2022.
This is the 22nd year of the awards that were set up to honour the achievements and success of local people at home and abroad.
The JP McManus Pro-Am featuring some of the world’s top golfers and a host of celebrities raised millions of euro for charitable causes.
Around 80,000 spectators attended the two days of golf at Adare Manor; providing a huge economic boost for the region.
The pro-am committee were honoured for their successful organisation of the event which shone an international spotlight on Limerick ahead of the Ryder Cup in 2027 at Adare Manor.
JP McManus and his wife Noreen were in attendance at the award ceremony at Limerick’s Clayton Hotel.
Accepting the award, JP McManus said: “It’s hard to describe just how much this award means to us. It wouldn’t have been achieved without the outstanding work of our committee, the volunteers who gave tirelessly over many months, or years to make sure that the event went as smoothly as possible. These things aren’t possible without the help and co-operation and the goodwill of all the people in the mid-west and Limerick.”
Mr McManus described all the nominees as worthy winners and said he was accepting the award on behalf of all those “unsung heroes” who “go about their work every day to ensure we are a better society.”
Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr Francis Foley said: “The JP McManus Pro Am was a great success and not just for Adare but for the entire region. It created an amazing buzz all across Limerick with people excited about the prospect of catching a glimpse or even rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s top golfers or A-list celebrities. There was a huge volunteer effort involved who all helped to make this world class event run smoothly. The organisers are worthy recipients of this accolade. I want to also congratulate all the other Person of the Month winners from last year for the fantastic contributions they are making to life in Limerick.”
In 2019 the Limerick Person of the Year Awards inducted the first person into the Limerick Person of the Year Hall of Fame.
The first inductee was the late Dolores O’Riordan who was acknowledged for her stellar international music career with Limerick rock band The Cranberries.
This year, Ireland’s oldest busker, 86 year old Tom McNamara, joined music royalty in the Hall of Fame.
Tom is a well-known figure on the streets of Limerick city and has filled the air with the sounds of his accordion for over 20 years. He is a musician, a poet and a man who is proud of his roots.
In 2021, Tom was on the lookout for a new instrument after his accordion ran into some trouble and after his story was highlighted, he was gifted a new accordion by Italian constructors Pasco Italia.
Limerick Person of the Year Hall of Fame inductee, Tom McNamara said: “ I’m so excited. I’d love to get one or two of my songs going. I have been playing on the streets of Limerick I’d say nearly 30 years if you count it all up. That’s a long time I’ve trodden the streets, rain hail or snow. I get great enjoyment out of it. I have a chat with the people passing by, photographs taken with people from Italy and America and all over. I don’t think I’ll be hanging up the accordion any time soon. I’ll keep going.”
Philanthropist JP McManus was previously individually named Limerick Person of the Year for 2010. Other past winners include: Dr Catherine Motherway; Olympian Roisin Upton; philanthropist; Limerick’s All-Ireland winning senior hurling team; world champion boxer Andy Lee; rugby star Paul O’Connell; Tidy Towns champion Helen O’Donnell, anti-bullying campaigner Luke Culhane and Paudcast podcaster Pádraig O’Callaghan.