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The Maine Irish Heritage Center’s Claddagh Awards return on Thursday, November 19th!The Claddagh Awards are a cherished tradition honoring the Irish values of friendship, loyalty, and community. Each year, the award is presented to a distinguished individual in Maine whose life of service strengthens our communities and inspires others through their leadership and commitment.
This year, we are honored to present the 2026 Claddagh Award to Pat Callaghan in recognition of his extraordinary career in news and broadcasting, serving for decades as a trusted and judicious voice in the state of Maine.
Stay tuned for updates on programming!
2026 Claddagh Award Recipient: Pat Callaghan:
Pat Callaghan began his broadcast journalism career in 1978 at New Hampshire Public Television.
Beginning in 1979, he spent 43 years as a news anchor and reporter for NEWS CENTER Maine (WCSH6 in Portland and WLBZ2 in Bangor). Notable stories along the way included being on the air live when the Challenger space shuttle exploded in 1986, and reporting from Belfast, Northern Ireland when former Maine Sen. George Mitchell chaired the talks that culminated in the Good Friday Agreement. In 2015 Pat produced award-winning reports on efforts in Utah to end chronic homelessness.
Pat spent much of his time covering politics, with extensive reporting from Washington, DC and Augusta, as well as covering Maine’s delegations at numerous national political conventions. He produced documentaries on notable Maine figures including Ed Muskie, Bill Cohen, Olympia Snowe and George Mitchell.
He is the host of “In The Arena,” a Maine politics podcast available on the WMTW TV website and everywhere you get your podcasts.
Pat holds a BA in History from the University of New Hampshire. He is a member of the Maine Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the New England Emmy Awards “Silver Circle.”
He and his wife Karen are the parents of two grown children
Past Claddagh Award Recipients
• 2025 – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
• 2019 – George Campbell, Jr.
• 2018 – David T. Flanagan
• 2017 – Senator Susan Collins
• 2016 – Michael Connolly
• 2015 – Jim Wellehan
• 2014 – Sara J. Burns
• 2013 – Moira Hastings Fuller
• 2012 – Senator George J. Mitchell
• 2011 – William J. Ryan
• 2010 – Cynthia Murray Beliveau
• 2009 – Gerard P. Conley, Sr.
• 2008 – Governor Joseph E. Brennan
Learn more about past claddagh winners here: https://maineirish.com/videos/
Want to sponsor this event? Email [email protected] to learn more!
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