The latest winner of the Talbot Collection Cork Community, Business and Sports Awards is Mr. Tom Butler, Chairman of Ballincollig Tidy Towns Committee. Tom follows the January Business Winner Mr. Bob Savage, Vice President EMEA Centres of Excellence, Dell EMC and Mrs. Billie Jean Sargent and her Rhythm Dance Company (Community Award for February).
The Awards Scheme is sponsored by Talbot Collection Cork along with Award Sponsors AIB Midleton & Ballincollig.
Tom Butler, a worthy winner of this Community Award sponsored by the Talbot Collection Cork incorporating Oriel House Hotel and the Midleton Park Hotel, was born in Carlow but grew up in Bishopstown and Inniscarra. Tom went to School in Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh in Bishopstown and Presentation Brothers College on The Western Road where the sense of giving back to the community and to others was instilled in him by Brother Jerome, the founder of Share. A similar sense of community was also instilled through scouting which Tom joined at the age of 7 and in which he is still involved today.
Tom originally worked with Esso Ireland in several sites throughout Munster and in 1992 joined Apex Fire Ltd. where he is now Regional Manager for Munster, managing a team of 20.
Tom is married to Ann Marie since 1987 and they have two grown up children, David and Kara. Since moving to Ballincollig Tom immediately got involved in such organisations as the Parents Association and Board of Management of Scoil Barra, the Residents Association, the Board of Ballincollig Credit Union, Ballincollig Business Association, Ballincollig St Patrick’s Day Parade, and since last year he is on the Organising Committee of the extremely successful Darkness into Light Walk. Tom is also the PRO of the Oriel Golf Society.
Some twenty Years ago, in the Old Oriel Court Hotel, a special meeting was held as Ballincollig Tidy Towns was in a bit of turmoil. At the end of the meeting Tom was asked to “babysit” the group until another meeting was held in The Westpark Hotel and at that meeting he was elected Chairman, a position he still holds.
During that time, Ballincollig has seen several extremely positive changes, and not only has it become home to over 90 different Nationalities, it is also one of Cork’s most sought-after places to live.
In Tom’s time with Tidy Towns he has worked with and continues to work with incredible people, who, like himself have tremendous pride and belief in the fantastic community.
Ballincollig has received a number of awards down through the years, which include a Silver Medal in the Entente Florale Competition and being named as Ireland’s Best Kept Large Urban Centre.
In 2017 Ballincollig retained its Gold Medal for the sixth year in the SuperValu National Tidy Towns Competition and saw its total marks increase by 6. Ballincollig was only 5 points behind the Overall Tidy Town Winner for 2017, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary.
This achievement is one the whole community can be very proud of. Ballincollig is now in the top 20 in Ireland out of an entry of 870 and is in the Top 4 in Ireland in the Large Urban Centre Category.
With the imminent changes of Ballincollig moving into the City Boundary Tom and his team are even more driven to do their utmost for the betterment of their community. Their hope is that the City Fathers will provide the same support, encouragement and more importantly, belief, in the work that the Ballincollig Tidy Towns Committee does 52 weeks of the year.
Award Sponsors AIB Midleton & AIB Ballincollig
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Photographer: Gerard Bonus
gersworkphotos@gmail.com
