Donegal Person of the Year 2004

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=300 BGCOLOR="#C0DCC0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="251fefa0.jpg" border=0 width="254" height="506" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Peadar Mac Suibhne, President of the Donegal Association conferring the annual award of Donegal person of the Year 2004 on Rev. Fr. Michael Sweeney, P.P.,  Gweedore.</B></div> <div> <B>Previous Winners</B></div> <div> 1978 Fr. James McDyer, R.I.P.</div> <div> 1979 Larry Smith.</div> <div> 1980 Dermot Walsh.</div> <div> 1981 Donal K. Boyle.</div> <div> 1982 Áine Ní Giolla Bríde,  R.I.P.</div> <div> 1983 Willie Joe Cunningham, R.I.P</div> <div> 1984 Canon Tommy Doherty, R.I.P.</div> <div> 1985 Peter McLean.</div> <div> 1986 Danny McDaid.</div> <div> 1987 Eamon Doherty.</div> <div> 1988 Fergus Cleary.</div> <div> 1989 Daniel O Donnell.</div> <div> 1990 Packie Bonnar.</div> <div> 1991 Tomás Mac Fionnghaile.</div> <div> 1992 Brian NcEniff.</div> <div> 1993 Charlie Bennett, R.I.P.</div> <div> 1994 Seán Ó Héochaigh, R.I.P..,</div> <div> 1995 Sean NcEniff.</div> <div> 1996 Hugh Gallagher.</div> <div> 1997 Sean McGinley.</div> <div> 1998 Paddy Harte.</div> <div> 1999 Joey Murrin.</div> <div> 2000 Gerry Robinson.</div> <div> 2001 Patsy McGonagle.</div> <div> 2002 Bríd Rogers</div> <div> 2003 Jim McGettigan.</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Fáilte to the Website of the "Descendants of Mac Sweeney Doe".</B></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fáilte to the Website of the Descendants"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Event 2007: Flight of the Earls/ Imeacht"><U>Event 2007: Flight of the Earls/ Imeacht na nIarlaí.</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Event 2006, Remembering the 90th anniver"><U>Event 2006, Remembering the 90th anniversary of the death of Tarlagh Mac Sweeney (An Píobaire Mór) c. 1831- July 1916. </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Niall Mór Headstone"><U>The Niall Mór Headstone</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Event 2005 Remembering the 400th annive"><U>Event 2005 - Remembering the 400th anniversary of the execution of Eoghan Óg Mac Sweeney.</U></A>   |   <B>Donegal Person of the Year 2004</B>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Genealogical Table of the Mac Sweeney Ch"><U>Genealogical Table of the Mac Sweeney Chiefs of Doe</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ranald MacDonald of Keppoch, Chief of th"><U>Ranald MacDonald of Keppoch, Chief of the Name</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" AT ARMS LENGTH Aristocrats in the Rep"><U> "AT ARM'S LENGTH  - Aristocrats in the Republic of Ireland"</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" The current Mac Sweeney Doe "><U> The current Mac Sweeney Doe </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Doe Castle Graveyard."><U>Doe Castle Graveyard.</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Event 2004 Remembering the Battle of K"><U> Event 2004  Remembering the Battle of Knockdoe</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great Book of Irish Genealogies "><U>Great Book of Irish Genealogies </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Galloglas"><U> Galloglas</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Remembering Daniel Mac Sweeney 18301893"><U>Remembering  Daniel Mac Sweeney 1830-1893, Event 2003 </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Daniel Mór Sweeney of Derryveagh 1840190"><U>Daniel Mór Sweeney of Derryveagh 1840-1901 - Event 2002</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Remembering the March to Kinsale Event"><U>Remembering the March to Kinsale  - Event 2001</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recalling Myles Mac Sweeneys Swim to Fre"><U>Recalling Myles Mac Sweeney's Swim to Freedom - Event 2000</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mac Sweeney Doe "><U>Mac Sweeney Doe </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Obituary. "><U>Obituary. </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U>Related Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact us"><U>Contact us</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="(NEW) Like the Thirteenth Chime, "><U>(NEW) Like the Thirteenth Chime, </U></A></div> <div> Donegal Person of the Year 2004</div> <div> The Donegal Association, based in Dublin, hosted a Gala Presentation Dinner in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, Saturday March 5, 2005,  to honour Rev.Fr. Michael Sweeney, P.P., Gweedore as "Donegal Person of the Year 2004". It was the largest gathering in the history of the Association and among the attendance of one thousand were Ministers of Government, Ministers of State, Members of the Dáil and the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly,  Bishop Good (Church of Ireland) and Bishop Boyce of Raphoe (who travelled from Rome especially for the occasion), Priests of the Diocese, ex Police Commissioner Eamon Doherty (Donegal Person of the Year 1987) and hundreds of well-wishers from Donegal and other parts of Ireland.</div> <bR> <div> Jim McGettigan (Donegal Person of the Year 2003) praised Fr. Michael's scholarship, dignity, dedication and support for worthy causes and also his role in fostering friendship among Donegal people. Peadar Mac Suibhne, President of the Donegal Association, said Fr. Michael had left an indelible mark on the communities he served and particularly so on young people through his great interest in football. He congratulated Fr. Michael on receiving the well-deserved award following fifty years of dedicated service to his communiti and to the elderly in Gweedore for whom he provided a Day Centre and residential accommodation.</div> <bR> <div>  Fr. Sweeney, a native of Fanad, was educated in St Eunan's College, Letterkenny and was ordained in Maynooth 1952.  He served as curate in Tory Island, Kilmacrennan and Lettermacaward. From1968/1982 he was Headmaster of Falcarragh College.  In 1982 he was appointed Parish Priest in Gweedore - where he is still at the helm. Numerous congratulatory telegrams were received from Europe and the U.S. and from the famous Barcelona and Real Madrid Football Clubs - reflecting Fr. Michael's great interest in football.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="256a5db0.jpg" border=0 width="421" height="219" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Fr. Michael Sweeney P.P., Gweedore and Peadar Mac Suibhne President of the Donegal Association during the award ceremony.  </B></div> <bR> <div> Fr. Michael has always been an enthusiastic supporter of Clan activities. He was present at the Mac Sweeney Doe Clan inaugural dinner in 2000  and the commemoration to mark the 400th anniversary of the escape of Maolmhuire/ Sir Myles Mac Sweeney, Chief of Doe, 1596-1630  from an English ship in the Foyle. (cf. Event 2000 on this web site).</div> <bR> <div>                                                                                                        <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >March 7, 2005.</FONT></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>