HUGH O’FLAHERTY HUMANITARIAN AWARD TO RESUME IN OCTOBER 2026 – CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society is delighted to announce that after a 6 year absence, the Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award Programme will resume in October this year. 

Picture: Don MacMonagle Photography (Memorial Society Chair Jerry O’Grady with the 2026 Humanitarian Medal at the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial in Killarney)

Society Chair Jerry O’Grady said “This has been made possible through the generous support of Kerry County Council Community Support Programme, Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce and other Sponsors. The 12th Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award Ceremony will take place during the last weekend in October”.

For resource reasons, the Award was suspended after the 2019 Award presentation to Ireland’s UN Peacekeepers. Its resumption was further delayed by Covid.

The Memorial Society is now putting out a call for Nominations for the 2026 Award. Full details of the Nomination Procedure are available on www.hughoflaherty.com or can be obtained by emailing the Society at oflahertysociety2008@gmail.com

Background to the Award:

The Hugh O'Flaherty International Humanitarian Award celebrates the work of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty who followed a long and continuing tradition of humanitarian service by Irish people overseas and at home. In Nazi occupied Rome during 1943/44, the "Rome Organisation" he created, provided refuge and assistance to the hunted and oppressed – numbering an estimated 6500 people. It is almost certain that they would otherwise have faced cruel imprisonment and, in many cases, almost certain death. Throughout the period of occupation, Monsignor Hugh and his many colleagues were under death sentence by the Gestapo if captured. Sadly, some members of the Rome Organisation were captured, tortured and executed.

The Humanitarian Award recipient will receive The O’Flaherty Humanitarian Medal and a Framed Award Scroll from the Mayor of Killarney at a special Award Ceremony to be held in Killarney at the end of October. The Recipient/Organisation will also receive a Bursary of €3000.

NB: If the Award is shared, each Recipient will receive a Medal & Scroll and an equal share of the Bursary.

Call for Nominations:

The Memorial Society is now putting out a call for Nominations for the 2026 Award. Nominations are invited from Individuals, Humanitarian NGOs (operating at home or overseas) and Humanitarian & Related Voluntary Societies. The Closing Date for receipt of Nominations is Friday July 10th 2026.

Who can be Nominated:

Nominations can be for an Individual, Team or Organisation, considered to be an outstanding Humanitarian Role Model and/or are providing exceptional Humanitarian Services for those in need at home or overseas.

The Nomination Procedure: Nominations must be e submitted via email to oflahertysociety2008@gmail.com

They should be submitted in writing, in no more than 500 words by the closing date of Friday July 10th 2026. Nominations should clearly outline the reasons why the nominator feels that the nominated Individual / Team / Organisation, merits consideration for this award. Full details of the Nomination Procedure are available on www.hughoflaherty.com or can be obtained by emailing the Society at oflahertysociety2008@gmail.com

Previous Award Recipients are:

· 2009 Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki - Darfur based GOAL aid workers.

· 2010 Fr Michael Synott Columban Missionary in the Philippines.

· 2011 Sally O’Neill Trócaire’s Regional Director for Latin America,.

· 2012 Sr Agnes Hunt of the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas.

· 2013 Donal Walsh Posthumously awarded to the inspirational young Kerryman .

· 2014 Dr John Beavis founder of the Gaza medical aid charity IDEALS.

· 2015 Fr Sean Myers Redemptorist Missionary to Brazil.

· 2016 Fr Shay Cullen founder of the PREDA Foundation in the Philippines.

The 2019 Award Ceremony took place in St Mary’s Church, following a wonderful performance of the play “God Has No Country” by the late and greatly missed Donal Courtney RIP. In addition to Government and Irish UN military personnel, the audience that evening included Ambassadors and representatives from 7 countries who were in various ways associated with the WW2 events in Rome.

· 2017 Sr Orla Treacy, Human Rights & Educational/Medical needs activist in South Sudan.

· 2018 RNLI, Irish Coast Guard and Kerry Mountain Rescue – all risking their lives for others.

· 2019 Ireland’s UN Peacekeepers – Serving the cause of World Peace for over 60 years.