Kilkenny Co-op Mart Director Michael Parsons honoured with prestigious award

FORMER chairman and current director of Kilkenny Co-operative Mart and former director of Glanbia Co-operative, Michael Parsons, has been awarded the prestigious Plunkett Award.

According to a statement from the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), Michael received the award for his “outstanding lifelong contribution to the Irish co-operative movement”.

Michael, who hails from Outrath, attended the ceremony in Portlaoise with his wife Mary and family members: Michael; Paddy; Catherine; and Mary-Kate.

Michael (pictured above with ICOS President Michael Spellman) was elected to the committee of Kilkenny Co-operative Livestock Mart in 1992. He was elected vice-chairman in 1998 and chairman in 2002 where served until his retirement from this role in 2017.

He remains on the board and has been a member of the ICOS Marts Committee since 2003.