Bray & District Chamber announces 2008 DELL Endeavour Awards heroes
The Butler's Pantry won Outstanding Large Business of the Year at the Bray & District Chamber Endeavour Awards, on Friday 23rd May 2008
The 2008 Bray Endeavour Awards, sponsored by DELL, announced Triple medal-winning Special Olympian Derek Kelly named Person of the Year Fr John O’Connell named Lifetime Achievement Award winner.
16 Awards presented by Bray Chamber to Bray’s commercial, civic, cultural, and community heroes
300 attend Gala Awards ceremony at Barracuda Restaurant
Triple medal-winning Special Olympian Derek Kelly has been named Bray Person of the Year at the 2008 Bray Endeavour Awards, presented by Bray & District Chamber and sponsored by DELL. The Awards were presented tonight (Friday 23rd May 2007) at a gala awards ceremony in front of an audience of 300 guests at Barracuda Restaurant, Bray Seafront.
The 2008 DELL Endeavour Awards, presented by Bray Chamber, reward the Community, Commercial and Civic Heroes who have made outstanding contributions to Bray over the past 12 months. First presented in 1981, the DELL-sponsored Endeavour Awards are presented annually by Bray & District Chamber, and are part of the Chamber’s programme of ‘promoting business and supporting the community’.
During what was an often highly-emotional presentation ceremony, 24 year old Person of the Year Derek Kelly and Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Fr John O’Connell, retiring parish priest from Bray’s Holy Redeemer Parish, received rapturous standing ovations from the admiring audience.
Once again, hundreds of nominations were received by Bray Chamber for this year’s Endeavour Awards. The nominations from across the community were made following a two month public awareness campaign, during which the people of Bray were invited to nominate their civic, cultural, community and commercial heroes. A total of 16 awards were presented at the 2008 Bray & District Chamber Endeavour Awards.
Person of the Year – Derek Kelly
Presented to 24 year old Derek Kelly, triple medal-wining Special Olympian who won two gold and one bronze medal for his country and club Bray Lakers at the 2007 Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient – Fr John O’Connell
Presented to Fr John O’Connell, retiring parish priest from Holy Redeemer Bray, presented in recognition of his mammoth contribution to the faith life and the tapestry of his parish, town and community
Sports Achievement of the Year Award – Bray Rowing Club
Presented to Bray Rowing Club for its superb 2007 season, culminating in an historic win of the Wicklow Senior Cup
Civic & Community Affairs Award – Living Life Centre
Presented to Living Life Centre for its provision of counselling services to those on low incomes, the marginalized, disadvantaged and the socially-excluded
Culture & The Arts Award – Anne Enright
Presented to Anne Enright in recognition of her win of the Man Booker Prize and her membership of the Hennessy Literary Awards Hall of Fame
Open Category Award – Bray Comedy Club
Presented to Bray Comedy Club, one of Bray's true arts successes that brings the best in Irish and international comedy to Bray every month
Young Achievers Through Sports, Arts & Academics
Presented to young academic Gary Kelly, emerging opera singer Ross Scanlon, and the young members of St Brendan’s Archery Club
Retailer of the Year Award – Notionz
Presented to Quinsboro Road-based gift shop, Notionz
Restaurant / Bar of the Year Award – Barracuda
Presented to premier steak and seafood restaurant, Barracuda
Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award – Eileen Vickers and Maureen Doyle
Presented to Eileen Vickers and Maureen Doyle, tourist information officers at Bray Tourist Office
Outstanding Small Business of the Year – Techstaff
Presented to engineering recruiters Techstaff, which places senior engineers onto projects in Ireland, the UK and across the world
Outstanding Large Business of the Year – The Butler’s Pantry
Presented to The Butler’s Pantry, which produces 1,600 meals daily for its customer base from its commercial kitchens and headquarters in Bray
Special Recognition Award – Adrienne White, Karen Blackbyrne and Fiona Hayes
Presented to sisters Adrienne White, Karen Blackbyrne and Fiona Hayes for their contribution over 30 years to the 5th Wicklow Sea Scouts
In addition to these awards, Bray Chamber made a surprise presentation on the night of a Special Chamber Contribution Award to long-standing Bray Chamber Member, Ollie Mahony – chairperson of the Chamber’s Christmas Lights Committee and a retail service provider for 50 years at The Hygenic Barber Shop – to mark the Chamber’s grateful recognition of his tireless contribution to Bray Chamber’s mission.
Speaking at the Awards, Chamber President Eugene Finnegan paid tribute to all those who have been honoured in this year’s awards. “At Bray Chamber, we see these awards as our opportunity, and the opportunity of the community, to say thank you to the countless unsung heroes for the tireless efforts that they’ve made to better the business and community life of our town in our community! We also see these awards as reflecting what we in Bray & District Chamber are all about: promoting business, and supporting the community,” Mr Finnegan said.
Each award winner was presented with a trophy specially-commissioned by Bray Chamber. Following a drinks reception and a superb Buffet Supper prepared by the team at Barracuda Restaurant, tributes were paid to each of the award winners during a Gala Awards Presentation Show presented by joint MCs for the evening, Jason Cooke and Pat McHugh. The celebrations continued after the awards as the 300 guests danced well into the night.
Commenting after the event, Endeavour Awards chairperson Phyl Farrelly said: “We are absolutely delighted with the success of this year’s awards and in particular with the superb reaction which each of our winners received, especially our Person of the Year Derek Kelly and Lifetime Achievement recipient Fr John O’Connell. These Awards are unique in that all recipients are nominated by the people of Bray, making the annual Endeavour Awards the premier public accolade that our community can bestow upon that great band of heroes that we have in our town. There is no doubt this year’s winners are some of the most remarkable achievers in our community.”
The awards were presented to each winner by the President of Bray & District Chamber Eugene Finnegan, accompanied by Sharon Woodcock of awards sponsors DELL. Special guests in attendance included An Cathaoirleach of Bray Town Council, Cllr Brid Collins; Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche TD; Town Clerk Christine Flood; Joint Chairperson of the Bray Town Rejuvenation Committee, Mary McDermott Roe; and Chairman of The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt and former Chairman of the Bray Town Rejuvenation Committee, Dermod Dwyer.
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