The 2010 Mullingar Chamber Business Dinner and Awards

Special Recognition Award Nominees

Hubert Magee – Mullingar Town Band

Hubert Magee is well into his sixth decade at the heart of the musical life of Mullingar Town.

The present Director of the Mullingar Town Band, he has held that post since 1957. Hubie commenced his studies on clarinet in the Mullingar Town Band and later attended Dublin College Of Music for six years where he studied clarinet, piano, harmony and composition. Hubie's studies took him through the graded courses of the Associated Board of Music, The Trinity College of Music and the Victoria College of Music, up to Diploma Standard.

He holds a fellowship Diploma in clarinet performance from Victoria College of Music (F.V.C.M) Licentiate Diploma (honours) in conducting and band mastership (L.V.C.M) and a Certified Teacher Diploma from the same college (C.T.V.C.M).

At the Irish Marching Bands Association (IMBA) Marching Finals in Arklow Co. Wickow in September 2006, IMBA Chairperson, Brendan Hoye, made a very special presentation to Hubie of 'Honourary Vice President’ for his work and involvement with the IMBA throughout the years.

In 2007, he celebrated 50 years of involvement with Mullingar Town Band. He is married to Patricia, and they have three children: Kim, Karl and Jack.

JP Donleavy – Author

Not every town in Ireland can say that it is home to an internationally renowned legend of literature. Mullingar is one of those few towns.

Author James Patrick Donleavy, or JP as he is known to all, was born among the glittering lights and skyscrapers of New York City during the Roaring Twenties, but has found peace - so often sought but never found by many writers - on the shores of Lough Owel, outside Mullingar.

A veteran of the US Navy during World War II, JP moved to his parents’ ancestral home, and took up his studies at Trinity College, Dublin in 1946.

In 1955, he published his critically acclaimed novel, 'The Ginger Man’, which tells the story of the often racy misadventures of Sebastian Dangerfield, a young American living in Dublin with his English wife and infant daughter and studying law at Trinity College.

Since the success of his first book, JP penned numerous novels ('A Singular Man’, 'A Fairy Tale of New York’ among others), plays and non-fiction works, earning him plaudits from arts critics across the world, and the admiration of all those who enjoy good literature.

JP lives at Levington Park at Lough Owel, Mullingar, in a beautiful country house on 200 acres, where continues to write, and enjoys painting.

RSM Noel O'Callaghan - RSM Mullingar army barracks

Mention Columb Barracks, Mullingar to someone and more often than not, the first name on their lips will be RSM Noel O’Callaghan.

Noel grew up in Ballyfermot, Co. Dublin, but has lived in Mullingar for the past 35 years. In 1975, he arrived at Columb Barracks as a private with 4th Field Artillery Regiment, married here, and quickly settled into the community.

A talented marksman and a sports enthusiast, Noel began his army career in Mullingar by picking up his first shooting medal in 1977; he also won awards for soccer, boxing and other sports. He is the current marksmanship coach at Columb Barracks.

Over the past thirty years he has served tours of duty with United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, Eritrea, Kosovo and Chad.

He was promoted to the rank of corporal before his trip to Lebanon, and five years ago, he achieved the rank of regimental sergeant-major, the highest position available to an NCO.

Married with two children and one grandchild (born ten months ago during his tour in Chad), Noel received an address of recognition from Mullingar Town Commission in 1990, after he jumped into the Royal Canal to save a toddler from drowning.

Outside of the walls of Columb Barracks, Noel devotes much of his free time to community work in Mullingar. He is a strong believer in community spirit, especially in these straitened times.

Sean Lynch – Mullingar Arts Centre

In Mullingar, the name of Sean Lynch is synonymous with the world of theatre and the arts. He has been involved in drama in Mullingar for the past four decades, and for over eleven years, he has been the director of Mullingar Arts Centre.

A native of Mullingar, Sean grew up on Austin Friars Street, and received his secondary education at St. Mary’s CBS, where he shared a classroom with local TD Willie Penrose.

He spent the earlier part of his career in the civil service, eventually ending up in Westmeath County Council; but very soon it became apparent to him that his heart lay with the stage.

Sean first became involved in the theatre in Mullingar in 1972, when the famed “Mullingar Revues” started, running well into the 1980s. After the Revues ended, he joined with a group of locals to form Lakeland Productions, which staged an annual musical until after the dawn of the new Millennium, when the company came to an end. Over the course of 18 years, Lakeland Productions swept the boards a the Association of Irish Musical Societies awards, netting nine titles.

After giving up his Council job, Sean began contracting for show groups - mainly on the lighting side, providing effects for the Longford and Digital Tops of the Town Groups, and directing the Longford show on one occasion.

Since it first opened in the 1990s, Sean has worked diligently as the Director of Mullingar Arts Centre - a local institution he describes as his life.

Sister Finbar – Women’s Community Project – Parish Centre

In Mullingar, there is one women who has made it her life’s mission to create opportunities for women through adult education, women’s groups and community development. Her personal challenge has been to overcome two great barriers to a decent standard of living-low income and poor education.

Sr Finbarr Breslin, Mercy Convent, has spent nearly forty years working tirelessly to support, assist and encourage women who were struggling to “make ends meet”, with a poor education and little or no opportunity to change their situation.

Her Christian work in the community has proved, time and again, how commitment to helping people can bring about real change, create hope and through sheer force of will open new doors and carve new paths in people’s lives, where before there were none.

Sr Finbarr was born Rosie Breslin born and reared in a small farming community near Clonaslee on the Laois/Offaly border. She attended the national School in Clonaslee and then the Convent of Mercy, Tullamore.

In 1955, she entered the Convent and in 1972 she was transferred to the Convent of Mercy in Mullingar. Her first job in Mullingar was to see her placed in charge of catering at the General Hospital.It was here Sr Finbarr saw young women, surviving on low income, often with poor education and little or no opportunity to improve the situation they found themselves in. Sr Finbarr wanted to help them by working to create change.

From this desire to help women in dire circumstances, Sr Finbarr established a Mother and Toddler group in 1982 which grew into the “Women’s Community Project”, which became the model for similar projects throughout the country.

The Mullingar Women’s Community project provides educational opportunities and also provides a professional childminding service to allow women to avail of the services.