TWO community figures from Fermanagh are among those recognised for their dedication to public service in the King’s New Year Honours List 2026.
As 55 individuals across the North are celebrated for their outstanding contribution to community and country, local figures Pauline Walmsley and Superintendent Robert McGowan have been honoured for careers marked by leadership, commitment and lasting impact.
Pauline Walmsley has been awarded an OBE for her services to education in the North.
Pauline is the Chief Executive Officer of Early Years – the organisation for young children. Formerly Early Years Deputy CEO, Pauline is a proven leader with a background in community development and over 20 years’ experience in senior management positions in Early Years.
A King’s Police Medals (KPM) has been awarded to Superintendent Robert McGowan.
Superintendent Robert McGowan has over 28 years’ service and has worked across many departments in the Police Service of Northern Ireland. He recently served as District Commander responsible for Fermanagh and Omagh.
Commenting, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: “I am incredibly proud to see these exceptional officers recognised through the New Year Honours list.
“This is a reward for the unwavering dedication and commitment to protecting our communities that each recipient has shown through their decades of exemplary service.
“Each recipient exemplifies the very best of the Police Service, and I am exceptionally proud of them and their contribution to policing in Northern Ireland and beyond.
“On behalf of the entire organisation I offer my congratulations to each of the recipients and their families.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, said he would like to extend my warmest congratulations to everyone in the North who is receiving a New Year Honour.
“Being recognised in this way is a profound achievement, and is a testament to the extraordinary dedication, resilience and positive impact those individuals have had on their local communities and wider society,” he said.
“They represent the very best of Northern Ireland, and are an inspiration to us all.”
