Inspirational Paul McCormack presented with award from the people of New York

At a special ceremony in New York City Hall, Mayor Eric Adams presented a prestigious award to Paul McCormack on behalf of the people of New York City.

This honour recognises McCormack’s incredible achievement in winning the World Blind Golf Championship in Canada last month – making him the first New Yorker ever to win this prestigious title.

McCormack, whose family are from Meencarrigach, Ballybofey, joined the New York Police Department in 1990 and, on September 11, 2001, was captain in the NYPD’s 41st Precinct, when a terrorist attack brought down the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

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Assisting in the clean-up that followed, McCormack developed a degenerative eye condition, which eventually led to his being declared legally blind, with 30 percent vision. He retired from the force, having reached the rank of inspector, in 2010 and has lived in Howth, Co Dublin, since 2011. 

During his time in the United States, McCormack featured for the New York Gaelic football team before he retired from football in 2000 having donated a kidney to his sister Siobhan. Afterwards, his friend Karl Pierce recommended McCormack join the Irish Blind Golf Society and since then has enjoyed great success since.