A proud Michael Ring feted as Mayo Person of the Year 2025 at gala event

Recently retired TD Michael Ring has been presented with the Mayo Person of the Year for 2025 by the Mayo Association Dublin at a gala event last night at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin.

The Westport man enjoyed an outstanding political career, serving as a TD for 30 years, including a decade as a government minister.

He first entered politics in 1979 when he was elected to Westport Urban District Council at the age of just 25.

He was elected to Mayo County Council in 1985 and first ran for the Dáil in 1992 when he narrowly missed out on a seat in the then three-seater West Mayo constituency.

However, he quickly made up for that disappointment by winning the Dáil by-election in 1994, and held his seat in six successive general elections, topping the poll on several occasions.

As an opposition TD from 1994 to 2011, Michael Ring earned a reputation as a hard-working and astute public representative, leaving no stone unturned in serving his constituents.

His work ethic was legendary and he excelled in grassroots politics, going well beyond the call of duty on numerous occasions to assist members of the public, whether it was with medical cards, third-level grants and fuel allowances.

The Westport man’s determination to do his best for ordinary people was informed by his own upbringing as a member of a large family at a time in Ireland when there were few of the luxuries that exist today.

His first job was a bread van driver and he later established his own auctioneering business, which was very successful before he closed it to focus fully on his political career.

In 2011, Michael was appointed Minister for Tourism and Sport in the Department of Transport, a role in which he excelled.

At a time when Ireland was still grappling with the aftermath of the EU/IMF bailout, Michael was determined to make tourism an economic driver in every town and village across the country.

He drove The Gathering project, which was established in 2013 and was aimed at mobilising the Irish diaspora to return to Ireland during that year.

It was a hugely successful initiative, breathing new life into so many communities at a time when they badly needed a boost.

Some 275,000 visitors came to Ireland that year, generating €170 million in revenue.

In 2014, Michael launched The Wild Atlantic Way, which was aimed at promoting tourism in the west of Ireland by showcasing its natural beauty and stunning coastline from Malin Head in Co. Donegal to Kinsale in Co. Cork.

It was another fantastic success and Michael was a key promoter of this project during this time in the Department of Tourism and Sport.

In 2017, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar appointed Michael to his new cabinet, giving him the task of setting up the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Michael set up the new department in record time and it was soon making a vital contribution to rural Ireland.

In Mayo, projects funded through the Department of Rural and Community Development included Westport House, the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, Ballintubber Abbey, Wild Nephin Mountain Park, Eachléim Heritage Centre (SOLAS) and many others.

Michael was also instrumental in securing funding for the N5 Westport to Turlough Road and many other infrastructural projects.

Michael announced his retirement from politics in the summer of 2024 and the reaction from members of the public spoke volumes for his work over the past 45 years.

Michael Ring is a proud Mayo man who has been a tireless advocate for Mayo for almost all of his adult life – devoting 45 years to representing the people in Westport Urban District Council, Mayo County Council and Dáil Éireann.

He has left a rich and varied legacy that will be enjoyed by generations to come and is a most deserving winner of Mayo Person of the Year 2025.

Mayo Meitheal Award winner: SOLAS Centre, Eachléim

The Mayo Meitheal Award winner is the committee behind the SOLAS history and heritage centre on the Mullet Peninsula in north Mayo.

SOLAS is located in the village of Eachléim on the Atlantic seaboard.

The centre offers an interactive experience that gives visitors a fascinating insight into the rich history of this rugged and remote part of Ireland.

There are so many intriguing stories to be explored at SOLAS – from John Millington Synge’s association with the Erris area to the emigration ships, the local whaling industry, the Inishkea Islands and, of course, the four lighthouses in Erris.

One of those lighthouses in nearby Blacksod is famed for delivering the D-Day weather report in 1944 that changed the course of World War II – and global history.

SOLAS has drawn widespread praise from visitors and locals alike since it opened its doors in 2024.

The presentation is visually compelling and there is a strong focus on the Irish language and culture in this Gaeltacht-based centre, with the flora, fauna and biodiversity of the area also to the fore.

This state-of-the-art facility has immersive exhibits spread across three galleries, each offering a unique perspective on the heritage of the Mullet Peninsula.

This remote region holds a treasure trove of tales, from its early Christian settlers to its involvement in significant historical events like the Spanish Armada and the aforementioned World War II.

SOLAS also shares stories of the diaspora who moved away but always kept the Erris area close to their hearts.

The local community conceived SOLAS through Comharchumann Forbatha Ionad Deirbhle (CIFD), which has been at the centre of developing opportunities for the Gaeltacht region on the Mullet Peninsula since 1995.

CIFD actively enhances the use of the Irish language within the area by providing education and tourism initiatives through our native tongue.

The adjudicators of the Mayo People of the Year Awards hailed the SOLAS project as an outstanding example of a community-driven initiative – the very essence of an old-fashioned ‘meitheal’.

This multi-million euro project stands as a lasting testimony to the foresight, determination and ingenuity of a group of local people on the Mullet Peninsula who were keen to ensure that the history and heritage of their region would be preserved for future generations of visitors and locals alike.