Blánaid MacCann wins Waterford News & Star Green Room Lifetime Achievement Award
A surprised Blánaid MacCann, Waterford News & Star Green Room 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Photo: Joe Evans
Blánaid MacCann was surprised last weekend by being awarded with this year’s Waterford News & Star Green Room Lifetime Achievement Award.
Friends, family and members of the theatre and arts world gathered as the award was bestowed on a visibly shocked and delighted Blánaid.
The Lifetime Achievement accolade recognises someone who has dedicated their life and contributed immensely to arts and culture in Waterford.
Held in Adega Wine Bar, more than 50 of her friends and family showed up to celebrate her success. Ms MacCann is a costume designer and co-founder, alongside the late Cathy Nolan, of NOMAC Productions.
For approximately 45 years, she has run the very successful costume creation and design business.
She was most notably known for supplying banks and finance groups with their costumes for the Tops of the Town competition, an annual event in the Theatre Royal where local workplaces competed in aid of charity.
She is also known for making all of the costumes for Waterford Panto Society, right back to when it started 40 years ago.
Arts Correspondent for the Waterford News & Star, Pat McEvoy, spoke at the event.
He said, “To move from just being involved in costumes to the vision that you had, not only to become a business but to be part of the apparatus of all of the theatres and shows.”
Ms McCann said that “over the years, people began to recognise us in Waterford. The business was here, it grew, and they all [the theatre companies] helped. Everybody helped it to grow.”
Previous recipients of the Waterford News & Star Lifetime Achievement Award include Des Manahan, Eric Sweeney, Betty Bible-Mulcahy, Eamonn McEneaney and Jim Nolan.
