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PropertynewsBelfast Telegraph Women of the Year Awards - in pictures and video
By Clarie McNeilly
Friday Nov 6 2009
Eight months ago, for all the right reasons, hardly anyone knew who Kate Carroll was. And she loved that.
Then, suddenly — for all the wrong reasons — her name was on everyone's lips. And she absolutely hated that.
But Wednesday night, hopefully, brought some sense of equilibrium to Mrs Carroll's emotionally tumultuous year when she was named Belfast Telegraph Woman of the Year.
And, with an astonishing sense of irony hitherto unknown by the organisers, she received her honour on the day she and late husband Stephen — the first PSNI officer to be murdered by paramilitaries — would have been celebrating his 49th birthday, perhaps with a glass of wine at their Banbridge home.
The remains of the last bottle they shared just before that terrible night are still in Kate Carroll's fridge.
She's surrounded my memories of her brave husband, and all of them make her proud.
And then came a standing ovation from the huge assembly at Belfast's Ramada hotel, where Kate, who had already been named Inspirational Woman of the Year, took away the main honour of the evening.
>>In Video: Interviews from the gala awards night<<
For her, however, the night was all about her late husband rather than how she has been coping with his untimely death.
“It was as if I was walking up onto the stage to see Steve,” she said.
“If I do anything I’m doing it for him. That’s how I feel.
“With it being his birthday, I just thought ‘what better present could I get than this’.
“I felt as though he was there, he was my strength. I couldn’t have done it any other way.
“I do not want his memory to die, he was such a great man.”
It was not without trepidation that Kate attended the event as she knew some memories were bound to haunt her.
“I had my sad moment in the car when I burst into tears,” she revealed.
“Steve always worried about reaching his 50th birthday but he never thought he wouldn’t reach his 49th; that’s why Wednesday night was so poignant.”
But brave Kate said she hoped her husband hadn’t died in vain — and she sent a heartfelt message to his killers.
“This is not a dress rehearsal — life is very short,” she said.
“I just want an end to all this sectarianism and bitterness because it’s not getting anyone anywhere.
“All it did was to take away a husband, father, uncle, brother, son and great friend to everyone.”
Awards list
Overall Winner Kate Carroll.
BT Woman of the Year in Education sponsored by Sodexo. Winner Elizabeth McAughtry. Finalists Sandra Isherwood, Teresa Lyons
BT Woman of the Year in the Voluntary Sector. Winner Biddy Carson Finalists Gretta Campbell, Isabel Quinliven
BT Sportswoman of the Year sponsored by Junction One. Winner Madeline Perry. Finalists Ciara Mageean, Natalie Kane
BT Woman of the Year in Health sponsored by Semichem. Winner Winifred Cassidy. Finalists Barbara Palmer, Valerie McCollum
BT Mum of the Year sponsored by Ormo Bakery. Winner Loretta Wilson. Finalists
Tracy McCausland, Sharon Nelson, Pat Houston
BT Inspirational Woman of the Year sponsored by Norfolkline. Winner Kate Carroll. Finalists Seainin Brennan, Noleen Rooney
BT Businesswoman of the Year sponsored by Translink. Winner Alison Campbell. Finalists Julie Black, Christine Boyle
BT Woman of the Year in the Fashion Industry sponsored by Victoria Square. Winner Cathy Martin. Finalists MaryRose McGrath, Fiona Kennedy
BT Woman of the Year in the Arts sponsored by Belleek Living. Winner Lisa May. Finalists Ray McGinley, Pauline Ross
Just Married - Readers' Pictures
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Mark and Gillian Allison on their wedding day in Stranorlar, Co Donegal
To send us your Wedding Pics Click here
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Great day: Ronnie and Norah Coates (nee McGuckian) on their wedding day in Ballygally Castle‘
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Louise and Peter van Balderen. Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa
Louise is granddaughter to Sammy Thompson from Bangor who passed away in October 2011 aged 91.
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Big day: Brett and Lydia McClelland smile for the camera in Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park
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