Timmy McInerney awards launched

KILKEE Town Council is seeking nominations for a new community award scheme, which is to be named in memory of former town clerk Timmy McInerney. The late town clerk served in the post from 1936 to 1996, which made him the longest-serving town clerk in the history of the State.

At Monday’s September meeting of Kilkee Town Council, it was confirmed the awards scheme has received the full support of the McInerney family. The scheme was also discussed in detail at the July meeting of the town council.

“The McInerney family are delighted and honoured that the awards will be called after their late father,” Kilkee town mayor Claire Haugh said at Monday’s meeting.

After a long discussion, councillors decided that award winners do not have to live in Kilkee but must have contributed significantly to the local community.

“Whatever they did had to be for Kilkee. That’s the rule,” Councillor Lily Marrinan Sullivan said.

At the July meeting, Councillor Marrinan Sullivan asked if the award winner had to be living or was it possible that a recipient could be recognised posthumously?

“In Kilrush, it has always been somebody that’s living,” town clerk John Corry confirmed, with reference to the annual Cissy Roughan awards scheme in Kilrush, although he said Kilkee could decide to give posthumous awards.

Nominations must be sent to Mr Corry by the last Friday in October. Nomination forms will be available in Kilkee library. It is envisaged that the inaugural award winners will be recognised in December.