CONGRATULATIONS!

MSGR. JOHN BYRNE P.P. "A fantastic organiser and runs a great parish team."
"Built the new Parish Centre, renovated SS Peter and Paul's Church and got the site for the new schools."
"Has brought about significant improvements in areas of education and church facilities."
"Parish Centre."
"For building the Parish Centre and renovating the parish church."
"Improvements to church, parish centre. His effort for new schools."
"Active in the community."

KATHLEEN O'BRIEN. "Tireless community champion."
"Always visible getting 'stuck in'."
"For her work trying to keep the town tidy."
"All the voluntary work she does for Portlaoise."
"Good worker."

PAT CRITCHLEY. "Work he does with the town's young people."
"Great leader, sportsman and very involved with youth."
"Aside from achievements, Pat is a figure young people can look up to and he puts a lot back into the community."
"He is a very honest guy and does great work with the youth."
One respondent praised Pat by copying a Wikipedia entry which is too long to quote here.

PAT RYAN. "Produced a lot of champions from a small boxing club and is involved with great talent including Katie Taylor."
"His caring and selfless work with young people involved in sport."

JOHNNY O'BRIEN. "Loves the town... published pictorial histories etc."
"Very active in keeping Portlaoise's way of life alive."

BRIAN STANLEY. "While I wouldn't be a huge fan of his party, Brian has worked his way up from relatively nothing to where he is today."
"A lovely hard-working man. I'll vote for him when he leaves Sinn Féin and runs as an independent."

PAT BORAN. "Wonderful story-telling ability. You feel like you can touch the characters!"
"An excellent writer and such a nice person."

LOUISE DONLON. "After careful thought, and now that she is leaving, I admire the way she has sought to bring to Portlaoise a broad and eclectic mix of arts across all media, in many cases material that we would otherwise have to visit Dublin to see/hear."
"She has been very instrumental in pushing the arts scene in Portlaoise."

JACK NOLAN. "Nice guy and a politician who actually does something for the town."
"All the work he does for the St Patrick's Day parade."

FINTAN KENNEDY. "Selfless work to promote original local music."
"Helping local musicians that are playing original music."

ANNE KEENAN BUCKLEY. "An inspiration."

WILLIE AIRD. "He is a Portlaoise man through and through- always looking out for what's best for the town and the less well off. A Trojan worker."

MARY RYAN. "Because she so unselfishly gives a lot of herself to help make our estate more liveable."

EILEEN HAYES. "Her work with athletes and athletics in Laois for many years."

ORLAGH McCRORY. "Her great ability to bring kids on and their personal development."

JOE 'HESH' McCORMACK. "He put manners on other public reps, often puncturing their egos in the process."

EAMONN DUNNE. "He inspired and encourged my own guitar-playing."

NANO CARROLL. "She has a great knowledge of the history of the families in the town."

MARY LILLIS. "Her ability to get people so interested in music."

JERRY LODGE. "A great worker for the town.... pity he's a Fianna Failer."

MEAGAN WALSHE. "....Good-humoured and talented girl. Can cheer you up in a second and wouldn't let anything get her down."

ROBERT SHEEHAN. "Put himself out there and made something of himself at a young age. Broke away from the typical behaviour of young people in Portlaoise and the confines of the town to make a name for himself doing something he loves."

DR. GILLANE. "She's a great doctor."

MARK CONROY. "Dedicating his life to making Ireland more transparent."

ALISON BROWNE. "Selfless worker for Portlaoise Xmas market."

MR. NAUGHTON (SURGEON). "I always felt safe in his care."

BOB FLAVIN. "He runs thenextgear.com and has made his own TV show on youtube.com. I want his job. Hero!"

TIDY TOWN WORKERS. "They work for the benefit of the town with very little recognition."

JOHN DUNNE. "Éistmusic, portlaoisepictures.com, his writing, and efforts to save a record of the town's past."

COLM BROWNE. "He is good for sport in Portlaoise."

ROS O'MEARA. "Musically dynamic, creative and inspiring as long as I've known him and a damn good person to boot."

JOHN GING. "Head of the UNRWA in the Gaza Strip."

FRANK MEEHAN. "Great historian who can tell you anything about my town's history."

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HOMEPAGE