By Sean Moriarty

A Mill Road business man has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Killarney-London Person of the Year - after supporting the organisation for almost 50 years.

The Killarney London Reunion will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year and for the first time ever the event will take place in Killarney.

Traditionally, the reunion took place in either Wembley or Cricklewood but this year’s event will take place on October 8 in the Dromhall Hotel and will form one of the main events in the recently launched ‘An Turas Mór – Homecoming Kerry’ festival.

Seamus O’Donoghue of Killarney Oils, has been selected as the 2022 winner of the prestigious award in recognition of his great support for the Killarney London Reunion over the last five decades.

Seamus lived in Ealing Broadway and was a bus conductor and driver with Transport for London between 1964 and 1967.

He worked alongside his friend and fellow Spa GAA club member, the late Paudie O’Sullivan.

“I remember driving a bus into Hounslow Bus Garage one day and Paudie was there in another bus right beside me, I had not seen him for years at that point but were great friends again after that,” Seamus told the Killarney Advertiser.

Seamus only learned that he had been selected as this year’s winner.

“It was a tremendous surprise, I said there is surely some more deserving than me but [organiser] Donal Grady told me that a committee had decided. I hope to meet many friends there on the night,” he added.

“After I came home I used to travel back for the reunion almost every year. Donal said I was such a great support over the years that I should get it – I made a lot of friends at the reunion over the years and I am looking forward to meeting them all again although some have passed on including Paudie."