Popular Moynalty volunteer wins 2011 Community Spirit Award

There was a sell-out crowd at the Kells Chamber of Commerce President's Ball last Saturday night, which featured leading economist David McWilliams as guest speaker. Kells auctioneer Tom Gavigan was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Betty Smith, secretary of Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival, was the overall winner of the Community Spirit Award 2011. In her welcome address, Geraldine Gaughran, Chamber president, acknowledged that it had been a "very tough year" for people in business. "However, we have also had some very positive local success stories," she said. These included Fitzgeralds of Kells, which completed the fit-out of the new Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport and Glass & Alu CAD Ltd, which won the contract to provide windows and doors for the Olympic Village for London 2012. The good news stories also included the Handmade Soap Company, who are supplying almost 200 stores nationwide after just over one year in business, while the local Headfort Arms Hotel won a national award as the best three-star hotel in the country, with Olivia Duff achieving Hospitality Manager of the Year. The presence of two weekly markets - Sheridan's Cheesemongers and the new Farrell Street Market, both selling local produce - has also been a bonus to local business, she said. "When I took over the reins as president at the AGM last October, I quoted part of an article entitled 'Recovery will be Local' written by this evening's guest speaker, David McWilliams," added Ms Gaughran. "In the article, David wrote that our recovery wasn't going to come from government or the trading floors of London; it would come from communities coming together and working together. "We've taken 'Recovery Will Be Local' as our theme for the evening as we feel that it's a phrase that encapsulates all the wonderful achievements of our Community Spirit nominees and the lifelong business contribution made by some. We also recognise that if we harness some of this spirit and put our collective shoulders to the wheel, then we will get through these tough times." Guest speaker David McWilliams gave an amusing and informative speech, in which he pointed out that Kells was the inspiration for the characters of the 'Kells Angels' in his best-selling 2006 book, 'The Pope's Children'. Kells Chamber's inaugural Community Spirit Award aimed to honour the hard and selfless work of some local volunteers. From an initial longlist of 14 nominees, a panel of independent judges whittled it down to three finalists - Gerry Beggy of Kells Blackwater FC, Betty Smith of Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival, and Geraldine Carolan, retired midwife. All three finalists were awarded with a Kells Chamber Certificate of Achievement, with Betty Smith winning the overall award - a glass sculpture by local artist Fiona Murphy. The sculpture was presented to Mrs Smith by another award-winning volunteer, Penny McGowan, chairperson of the Kells Pink Ribbon Walk. "Betty has worked tirelessly and enthusiastically for almost 40 years on various committees within the local community of Moynalty," said Peter Gaynor, chairman of Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival, who nominated her for the Award. Mrs Smith is secretary of the Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival and is also involved in the local Credit Union, Community Council, Tidy Towns Committee, PTAA, Active Retirement Group, Commmunity Alert, and Kilmainhamwood Nursing Home and Retirement Village. "In Moynalty, everyone knows that Betty is the lady that gets things done," said Mr Gaynor. "No task too big or too small! When Betty takes on a task, you can rest assured that it will be completed perfectly and on time. "Betty is passionate about everything that she believes in and is a fantastic motivator to those of us around her. Her spirit, commitment and naturally driven approach to all tasks she undertakes is genuinely admirable and even infectious! The people of Moynalty, past, present and future, owe this marvellous and selfless lady a great gratitude for all that she has done to shape our lovely community." Mrs Smith was in attendance at the ball with her son and daughter, as well as Peter Gaynor and other representatives of Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival. Gerry Beggy attended with his wife, Ann, while Geraldine Carolan was in the company of her 95 year-old mother, Kitty, who was presented with a bouquet of flowers by the night's MC, John Fitzgerald. Brendan Muldoon, partner in Sean P Muldoon & Co, Chartered Accountants, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Kells auctioneer, Tom Gavigan. Born on Farrell Street in 1933, Mr Gavigan entered the family auctioneering business, which was established in 1940, and then later set up his own office on the same street in 1958. It is still a prominent business today, with branches in both Kells and Navan. A former president of the IAVI, Tom Gavigan represented Kells Harps and Meath in Gaelic football. In his acceptance speech, Mr Gavigan paid tribute to his wife of 52 years, Marie Gavigan (nee Fitzsimons), and his six children, five of whom were in attendance, along with grandchildren and members of the Fitzsimons family. Among the 200 people at the sell-out event were newly elected TDs, Shane McEntee and Ray Butler, Meath County Manager Tom Dowling and Kells Town Council cathaoirleach, Cllr Conor Ferguson.