Awe-Inspiring Dedication: Louth Life-Savers Honoured at Major Irish Blood Transfusion Service Gala
The extraordinary, silent generosity of County Louth’s premier blood donors took center stage as the Irish Blood Transfusion Service hosted its flagship regional awards ceremony to honor incredible lifetime milestones.
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) hosted its highly anticipated annual Gold Drop and Porcelain Pelican Awards Ceremony for the North-East Midlands region on Friday, 15 May 2026. Convening at the Ardboyne Hotel in Navan, the gala brought together dedicated donors and their families from across Cavan, North County Dublin, Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Meath, Monaghan, Westmeath, and Louth.
📜 Louth Roll of Honor & Regional Tally
Across the region, eighty-two 50-time donors received their Gold Drop pins, while an elite group of seventeen 100-time donors were presented with prestigious Porcelain Pelicans. Prominent Louth personnel celebrated on the evening included:
Joe McCormack · Jimmy Mackle · Stan Brennan · Fintan McGroder · Des Bowers · Tommy McDonagh · Ruth Dunne · Michelle McArdle · Joe Lawlor · Eileen McGoey · Ken Corcoran · Ciaran Reilly · Pat O’Hare · Damian Matthews (100-Time Donor)
The evening’s proceedings were expertly guided by Ardee IBTS Centre Area Manager Iosif Korpas, who served as master of ceremonies and extended a profound corporate welcome to board members and families alike.
A Moving Reminder of the Gift of Life
IBTS Chief Executive Officer Orla O’Brien personally presented the structural accolades, thanking the assembled crowd from the bottom of her heart. “Donating 50 times is an exceptional civic achievement, but donating 100 times is genuinely awe-inspiring,” O’Brien noted. “It is an absolute privilege to personally meet the individuals whose quiet actions directly sustain patients in our hospitals across Ireland every day.”
The profound human impact of blood donation was driven home in a deeply moving guest address by Mrs. Emma Gilbey. She offered a powerful, firsthand thank you to the crowd, revealing that she required extensive, continuous blood transfusions before and throughout four hours of critical emergency surgery during the birth of her son, Charlie.
“If it weren’t for the selfless choices made by donors like the people in this room, my mother wouldn’t be here today.” — 14-year-old Charlie Gilbey, speaking to a standing ovation from the podium
Delivering the closing address, Area Manager Iosif Korpas paired praises for the donors’ milestones with a heartfelt thank you to the Gilbey family for sharing their story—serving as a stark, powerful reminder of why active blood clinic attendance remains vital. He also praised the tireless support of Jennifer O’Kane, Donor Attendant, and the wider clinical staff driving regional operations.
A Resilient and Caring Community Network
This stellar celebration of local human empathy mirrors an exceptionally busy and successful season of civic and sporting pride thrumming across our parishes. The awards night aligns beautifully with recent triumphs—ranging from **Ardee St. Mary’s GFC securing maximum points to go top of GAA Division 1** to the massive **€650,000 community climate action grants awarded to local groups** like Ardee St. Mary’s and Dundalk Dog Rescue to build energy-efficient infrastructure.
Similarly, this wellness focus matches several major active initiatives launching this June Bank Holiday weekend—including the **free Castlebellingham/Kilsaran Street Feast celebration** and the **Tallanstown Ladies local Mini Marathon** benefiting the Ardee Hospice network. With the Ardee IBTS team continuing to manage mobile and stationary clinics, local residents are urged to follow the example of Louth’s honored heroes and book an appointment to give blood this summer.
