Three of Cork’s most ‘Outstanding People of the Year’ were honoured at an awards ceremony in the Vienna Woods Hotel last night.
The awards, hosted by Junior Chamber International (JCI) Cork in association with AIB, recognise young people who have excelled in their chosen field or made a lasting positive impact on their communities.
Cork businesswoman Tracey Ryan was honoured for her contribution to children and human rights. The founder of Bia Beauty Skincare was shocked at the Syrian refugee crisis and decided to pack one of her own vans with supplies and drive to Calais herself. Her call-out to her network for blankets, clothes, and food spiralled into a fully fledged taskforce which filled two aircraft hangars in Shannon and led to a fleet of trucks being dispatched to Calais.
Ciara Judge is a former BT Young Scientist winner, who in 2014 Time Magazine named one of the most influential teenagers in the world. She is a founding member of the Digital Youth Council and founded Project Zilkr, a network for young people providing mentors, support, and funding to help start world-changing companies.
Caroline O’Driscoll is co-founder of IWish, an initiative to inspire women in science technology and engineering. She is also vice-chair of it@cork and current holder of the national Women Mean Business empowering women award.
Every year JCI selects 10 outstanding people under-40 to be recognised for living the JCI mission in extraordinary ways. Last year JCI Cork nominee Joanne O’Riordan managed to scoop the world award at the JCI World Congress in Japan