The People of the Year awards provide a unique opportunity for the Irish public to honour those who have made a real difference to people's lives, whether as unsung heroes or household names. Each year, members of the public are called upon to nominate people who have enhanced the quality of life in Ireland, increased civic pride, or through acts of bravery have touched the lives of the community.
The list of winners since the awards began in 1975 reads like a who's who of Irish life over more than a quarter of a century. Katie Taylor, Rory McIlroy, John Hume, Padraig Harrington, Mo Mowlam, Brian Keenan, Veronica Guerin, Sir Bob Geldof, Seamus Heaney and Maeve Binchy are just some of the previous award winners. But in addition to these household names, a particular focus of the event is the "unsung heroes" who have made a difference at community level. The award recipients are chosen from the public nominations by adjudicators comprising leading members of the media, business, public service and community sectors. So, if you know someone who has acted above and beyond the call of duty, someone whose success has inspired a generation, someone who has made an extraordinary contribution to their community, someone whose courage and achievement has changed our society for the better, then why not nominate them for a People of the Year Award?
