Oireachtas Human Dignity Award for County Roscommon man
Senator Ronan Mullan pictured with Paul Lindsay as he presented him with the Oireachtas Human Dignity Award for his work with the Dublin based Zambia Appeal Group.
A County Roscommon man was recently presented with the Oireachtas Human Dignity Award.
At an event held in Leinster House Senator Rónán Mullen presented the award to Cloontuskert native Paul Lindsay for his work with the Dublin-based Zambia Appeal Group.
The award was made by the All-Party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group, recognising people who have contributed to human dignity. The ceremony has been held annually since 2014.
A native of Cloontuskert, Ballyleague, Paul was a serving member of the Garda Siochana in Dublin for several decades. Son of the late Mr and Mrs Paddy Lindsay, he is brother of former All-Star Roscommon footballer, Pat Lindsay, and, in recent years, he served for a year as treasurer of St Faithleach’s GAA Club.
He was also a long serving activist and past secretary of the Roscommon Association in Dublin. He has had a lifelong interest in the arts, drama and the music scene generally.
The Zambia Appeal Group was set up by Maureen O’Dwyer nearly 25 years ago and Paul has been involved with the charity since it’s inception.
There is a strong Roscommon connection to the charity as Loughglynn native Seamus Scally, and Elphin man Seán Farrell were also involved in the charity from the start and are still committee members.
Paul, who has been living in Dublin since he finished school, explained how the charity came about. “We're all friends who basically met in Macra na Feirme in Dublin. Maureen went to Zambia all those years ago to do some voluntary work and when she came back she decided that she'd set up this group. It's basically a small fundraising group,” he said.
The group raises on average €20,000 every year through an annual carol service outside the GPO and a table quiz held every spring. Every penny raised goes directly to Zambia.
Having visited Zambia in 2012, Paul saw first-hand the impact of the charity’s work. “It was amazing. Sometimes you wonder, when you're such a small little group, but it's only when you get there that you see the schools and that individual families helped.”
After nearly 25 years of working with the charity, he said winning the award was a proud moment for the group. “I was particularly happy for the people who've really stuck with it down through the years,” he said.
He also praised Senator Mullen, who often attended the charity’s events. “Ronan would always pop by when we're doing our carol singing or indeed our table quiz.”
At the awards ceremony the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Luis Mariano Monteymor and outgoing Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl along with Senator Mullen all addressed the gathering.
