Tipperary man Seamus O'Doherty is a community hero

A Clonmel man who has volunteered with his local sports club for nearly half a century has been named as the winner of the 2021 Community Hero Award by The Wheel, the national association of charities and community organisations.
79-year-old Seamus O’Doherty has volunteered in various roles with Hillview Sports Club in Clonmel since his twenties. He has served as president through several terms and he is known locally as “Mr Hillview” for his long association with the club.
Among his many duties, Seamus is responsible for the club’s fundraising. Earlier this year, with the fear of the club doors closing due to the pandemic, he was finally persuaded to host online bingo. Apart from making a success of the online bingo, he has also learned how to access the internet and he has become a capable Zoom user.
Seamus is also involved in a host of other initiatives, like the annual Irish Wheelchair Association dinner and the Ramadan celebration for the local Muslim community.
Seamus said: “We try to place ourselves at the service of the community, and you don’t get financial rewards. But when you meet people in the town and they say that they have enjoyed their day or night out, it’s all worth it. That kind of relationship is invaluable.”
Presented by The Wheel, the Community Hero Award is a lifetime achievement award honouring a volunteer who has made an extraordinary contribution to their community throughout their lifetime.

COLUMN: 'Road allows you time to think about the question, but the answer is inside you'

Fergal O'Keeffe's column