Limerick Person of the Year 2024 is Inventor of Life Changing Chemotherapy Treatment, Olivia Humphreys

Limerick Person of the Year 2024 is Inventor of Life Changing Chemotherapy Treatment, Olivia Humphreys

Olivia Humphreys honoured as Jon Kenny, Johnny Duhan and John Murphy get Posthumous Hall of Fame Inductions

Twenty-four-year-old UL Graduate Olivia Humphreys has been named Limerick Person of the Year 2024 at a ceremony in the Clayton Hotel in Limerick.

Olivia, from Pallasgreen, was honoured for her life-changing invention for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment, which previously secured her the prestigious James Dyson 2024 award.

Olivia was Limerick Person of the Month 2024 for November. Her creation, ‘Athena,’ is a portable, thermoelectric battery-operated scalp cooling device for people undergoing chemotherapy treatment which is more cost-effective and time-saving than hospital models, without compromising on quality.

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Receiving the Limerick Person of the Year 2024 award, Olivia Humphreys expressed her excitement, saying, “Being a part of this has been so lovely, but actually winning it has been an adrenaline rush really. I didn’t expect it at all and it’s really humbling and exciting to be part of it. I’m delighted!” Olivia was inspired to create ‘Athena’ having seen her mum Vicky go through chemotherapy in hospital.

Olivia added: “The work that went into Athena was a lot and to have it recognised is really lovely. I know mum’s going to be so happy. She was the inspiration. I was in final year of product design in university in UL and I wanted to do something big. I wanted to solve a big problem and I was looking at things like sustainability and climate change, and mom was like, ‘you know what’s really needed is looking at chemotherapy treatment and cancer care treatment and addressing the theme of hair loss during chemotherapy.’”

The University of Limerick (UL) graduate is now working as Research and Development Engineer at Luminate Medical in Galway working on medical device tech and has been in New York working on a clinical trial for the device.

Mayor of Limerick, John Moran congratulated all the winners of Limerick Person of the Month in 2024, saying, “The Limerick Person of the Month and Limerick Person of the Year Awards are a fantastic celebration of outstanding members of our community. Each recipient is truly deserving of the recognition they receive. Heartfelt congratulations to Olivia Humphreys, our Limerick Person of the Year 2024. Her innovative work with ‘Athena’ is set to revolutionise chemotherapy treatment, a subject close to my heart, and we look forward to seeing its positive impact on patients’ lives.”

Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, posthumously inducted three of Limerick’s favourite sons, Johnny Duhan, Jon Kenny and John Murphy into the Limerick Person of the Year Hall of Fame. The honour aims to celebrate the most renowned ambassadors for Limerick, marking their achievements and ability to use their talents for the greater good.

Johnny Duhan was honoured for his “abundance of musical talent.” The late Mr Duhan, who died in November 2024, grew up on Wolfe Tone Street in Limerick city, and is most well known for having written The Voyage.

Jon Kenny, the actor, poet, writer and comedian was remembered for his “longtime dedication and passion for putting a smile on people’s faces and provoking thought through his work.”

John Murphy was honoured as “a champion of Limerick theatre, a storyteller, actor, director, writer and believer in the power of the arts to transform and heal.”

Johnny Duhan, Jon Kenny and John Murphy join the late musician and The Cranberries frontwoman, Dolores O’Riordan along with Ireland’s oldest busker Tom McNamara in the Limerick Person of the Year Hall of Fame.

Johnny Duhan

The late great singer-songwriter Johnny Duhan is remembered widely, and fondly, as a man who possessed an abundance of musical talent. The late Mr Duhan, who died in November 2024, grew up on Wolfe Tone Street in Limerick city, and is best known for having written The Voyage.  He previously won the Limerick Person of the Month award in 2007.  A treasured and talented musician, he also wrote songs for The Dubliners, Mary Black, and Dolores Keane.

A man who kept his hometown close to his heart, Mr Duhan previously wrote a heartwarming love letter to Limerick, which, he said, is “not just another town”.

Forever missed by his adoring family, Mr Duhan is warmly remembered by many around the world as a “true songwriting legend”.

Jon Kenny

The beloved Jon Kenny has been inducted into the 2024 Limerick Person of the Year Hall of Fame for his exceptional contributions to the arts and entertainment industry during his lifetime. The actor, poet, writer and comedian will forever be admired for his quick wit and creative mind and is described as an “absolute icon” by many for his abundance of talent and passion for his craft.

Rising to fame in the 1990s as one half of the D’Unbelievables comedy duo with Pat Shortt, Jon was also an accomplished stage actor and musician.

He starred in several plays, including The Matchmaker alongside Mary McEvoy.

He also appeared in Father Ted in the 1990s and several feature films, most recently in a cameo role in The Banshees of Inisherin, alongside Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and longtime collaborator Pat Shortt.

“Jon grabbed life and shook it as hard as he could, getting every ounce of fun, madness and love from it – his wit, humour, generosity and kindness will outlast his passing. The memories and stories of those who knew him will be his legend,” Jon’s family said following his passing in November 2024. After news of his passing filtered through on social media, tributes began flooding in for the Limerick legend.  

John Murphy

The late John Murphy was a talented Limerick actor, director and writer. A champion of Limerick theatre, a storyteller, actor, director, writer and believer in the power of the arts to transform and heal, Mr Murphy will go down in the Hall of Fame as one of the greats.

The honour has been bestowed upon him by the Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, with his family accepting the award in memory of the late Greystones native.  During his fruitful career in the performing arts field, he worked with Island Theatre Company, the Belltable, and the Lime Tree Theatre. Mr Murphy is forever missed by his loving family, parents Olga and George, brother Frank, niece Melissa, great nieces, cousins, relatives, neighbours and his many friends from the arts community.