Actor and retired school vice-principal Dan Donovan was named Cork Person of the Year yesterday at a ceremony in the newly opened Sheraton Fota Island Golf Resort and Spa.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and 300 guests gave Mr Donovan a thunderous ovation at the gala awards lunch.
Mr Donovan beat off stiff competition from nominees such as Mission Impossible actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers, athlete Derval O'Rourke and hurler Brian Corcoran to take the title for 2006.
Dan Donovan (80), from Turners Cross in Cork city, a retired vice-principal from Presentation College, The Mardyke, is nationally known and admired as an actor, producer and director in theatre. With the late Cork actor James N. Healy he established the Southern Theatre Group in 1959 and went on to form the Theatre of the South in 1969.
Mr Donovan was also a founding member of the Everyman Palace Theatre Group and played a major role in the theatre's recent refurbishment.
Last year Presentation College in Cork named their theatre in honour of Mr Donovan, who taught English, Irish and Latin at the school.
Awards organiser Manus O'Callaghan said Mr Donovan was a deserving recipient of the award.
"The guiding philosophy of this award since we started back in 1993, has been to honour achievement and celebrate success so that others may be inspired to follow and Dan Donovan has inspired many to follow him on to many stages over the decades."
The Cork Person of the Year is chosen from the 12 Cork Persons of the Month selected over 2006.
The judges were Bishop John Buckley, city manager Joe Gavin and recently retired county manager Maurice Moloney. The trophy was presented by Lord Mayor Michael Ahern and Mayor of Cork County Cllr John O'Shea.