Community Games Finals

The Granard Person of the Year title for 2013 went to the very well known local personality, Josie O’Rourke last Friday.

Josie has been a community stalwart for many years. The Mullahoran native has been involved in everything from the ICA and the local church to the Granard Harp Festival and Pitch and Putt and also ran a very successful B&B in Loch Gowna. Together with her late husband Joe, Josie had four children – two daughters and two sons. It was Granard Town Mayor, Cllr John Maguire who selected Josie O’Rourke as this year’s nominee.

“She was chosen mainly for her voluntary work and her deep involvement in the community here in Granard,” he said. “Josie deeply cares about Granard and about everyone around her, and her efforts over the years to make the lives of people around here, better, is deeply appreciated by all of us.”

Josie studied Psychiatric Nursing in Co Monaghan, and later met and married her beloved husband Joe in England. The couple returned to Ireland and ran a bar in Granard before moving to the B&B in Loch Gowna.

“When her husband died, Josie moved back to Granard and became involved in many organisations including the ICA and she was very committed to the Granard Harp,” Cllr Maguire explained .

Josie O’Rourke was also a renowned local notes correspondent for the Granard area with the Longford Leader for many years and management and staff at the Leader would like to congratulate her on this worthy community award.