Cavan County Council honours ‘Humanitarian and Hero’ surgeon
Cavan County Council has honoured the life-saving humanitarian efforts of Cavan surgeon Morgan McMonagle, who risked his own life to provide medical assistance to the besieged people of Gaza.
On Monday evening at Cavan Courthouse, Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Carmel Brady and the elected members of Cavan County Council hosted a Civic Reception for Dr McMonagle, who is a vascular trauma surgeon based in Waterford and has travelled to some of the world’s most dangerous places to perform life-saving surgeries.
As well as trips to Ukraine, Lebanon and the West Bank, Dr McMonagle also travelled to Gaza on three occasions in 2025. He performed these lifesaving surgeries knowing his own safety was not guaranteed, and on one occasion was working in Nasser Hospital when it was targeted by Israeli air strikes.
Welcoming Dr McMonagle back to his hometown, Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Carmel Brady said, “You’ve not only risked your own safety to provide urgent medical care to some of the world’s most oppressed people, but you have also played a vital role in drawing attention to the plight of the people of Gaza and Palestine in the world’s media.
On behalf of the people of Cavan, I want to tell you how proud we are of your bravery, compassion, mental strength, and commitment to human rights, and to thank you sincerely for all you have done and continue to do”.
Speaking during the ceremony, Dr McMonagle offered his thanks to all gathered and expressed his gratitude at being recognised in his hometown, describing it as akin to “peer review”.
Dr McMonagle also took the opportunity to raise the plight of the Palestinian people, who, he reminded guests, were still under siege.
“Gaza and Palestine have dropped off the radar, but they are still suffering every single day. They can't get any clean water, the sewage system is gone, hygiene is gone, they’re all living in tents, they’re all displaced internally.”
Pictures by Lorraine Teevan