Paddy Cole

From his first performance in his native Castleblayney at age twelve, billed as ‘Ireland’s youngest saxophone player’, Paddy Cole been playing on stages around the world for almost seventy years. With The Capitol Showband, The Big 8 to The Paddy Cole Band, he has played with Irish legends such as Brendan Bowyer, Dickie Rock, Joe Dolan and Twink, and has more recently been a regular highlight of the Cork Jazz Festival. As well as music, he has done valuable charity work at home and abroad. His life has been an amazing journey, from growing up in the borderlands of County Monaghan, to hanging out with Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali, and stars of screen such as cowboy legend Roy Rogers. Tom Gilmore is a journalist, author and broadcaster with The Tuam Herald and Galway Bay FM. He was recently honoured for his outstanding contribution to country music presented by Big Tom himself. Tom Gilmore has been writing about country music for over 30 years. Big Tom said of Tom Gilmore: "Tom and myself go back a long long way. He is one of the nicest people in the business and it is great to see that he is being honoured here tonight. He has always been a gentleman since the first time I got to know him. I think this has come as a big surprise to him."