Louise O’Keeffe named Cork Person of the Month

Sex abuse survivor Louise O'Keeffe was yesterday named Cork Person of the Month in recognition of her many decades of battling for justice, when the European Court of Human Rights recently ruled in her favour against the State.

"This victory is a victory for the children of Ireland and I accept this award on behalf of all those other abuse victims," said Ms O'Keeffe at the award presentation in Cork city yesterday afternoon.

Each year, 12 Cork Persons of the Month are chosen and the Cork Person of the Year is picked from that group at year’s end.

Ms O'Keeffe was abused by her then-principal, Leo Hickey, in Dunderrow National School in the 1970s, when she was eight. Although Hickey was later convicted of abusing Ms O'Keeffe and other pupils, the State denied any liability.

Ms O'Keeffe was forced to take her case to the European Court of Human Rights after both the High Court and the Supreme Court ruled against her but she was vindicated when the ECHR ruled in her favour.

“Her campaign is a tribute to her courage and tenacity”, said Cork Person of the Year Awards organiser Manus O’Callaghan.