Leinster Carer of the Year Award 2012 Announced
The Carers Association’s Leinster Carer of the Year Award 2012 will be presented at a special ceremony this evening to Peter Riordan, at the Harbour Hotel, Limerick Road, Naas, on May 24 at 7.30pm. Deputy Catherine Murphy TD will present Peter with his Leinster Carer of the Year 2012 Award.
Peter who lives in Meadowcourt, Naas, Co Kildare is 81 years of age. He had a large family of 10 children and has cared for three of his family for many years, two sons with disabilities and his wife who was bed bound for years and has since passed away.
Peter’s sons Bernard and Stephen were knocked down by a drunk driver in 1978. His son Stephen tragically died in this accident and sadly Bernard was left with a degree of brain damage and is a wheelchair user. Bernard is now 51 years of age.
Ronan, Peter’s other son whom he cares for, has Downs Syndrome. Ronan is 36 years of age and is non verbal.
Peter’s day starts at 7am and he does not stop until 11pm at night ensuring his two sons have all their needs met. At 81 years of age this is no mean feat. A day away from the family rarely happens as it has to be planned meticulously. Peter also has his own health problems, he has to manage and monitor his own blood sugar levels due to diabetes.
Speaking on the award presentation Anne Flynn of The Carers Association said, “We are delighted to be presenting this award to Peter who has dedicated his life to caring for his family. He is one of the most amazing and inspirational people you could meet and deserves this recognition for all that he does.”
The Carer of the Year and Young Carer of the Year Awards are based on a national nomination process where members of the public nominate their chosen family carers from across Ireland. The Carer of the Year Awards are hosted by The Carers Association and sponsored by Tunstall Emergency Response to recognise the enormous contribution of Family Carers.
Four regional award recipients are chosen – Leinster, Munster, Connaught/Ulster and Dublin – with Peter receiving this year’s Leinster Award. Peter and his family will be guests of honour at Ireland’s Carers of the Year and Young Carer of the Year National Award Ceremony 2012 hosted by Patrons of The Carers Association and RTÉ broadcasters, Mary Kennedy and Marty Whelan, on Wednesday, May 30th, in Dublin’s Westbury Hotel.
“These awards are so important for recognising the enormous contribution of family carers who provide care for their loved-ones, often with little acknowledgement. We are very grateful for the continued support of Tunstall Emergency Response for making these awards possible” said Anne Flynn.