A MAN who built a school for autistic children in his back garden is the winner of this year's Spirit of Ireland Award announced in Dublin last night.

Colm Fulham remortgaged his Clontarf home to pay for the building of the school after finding there was no place for his own autistic seven-year-old son Oisin to receive an education.

"I am a very happy man, but this is only the start of the work which has to be done," he said.

"It is only when autistic children get what they deserve in terms of adequate and appropriate education will I be completely satisfied," Mr Fulham said last night.

The 40-year-old electronics engineer and his wife Denise began the project in 1999 using a revolutionary US teaching technique called Applied Behavioural Analysis and has helped more than 100 families with autistic children since then.

His nominator was Teresa Hearne from Co. Kilkenny who described Colm as a hero to many parents of children with autism and special needs.

In October 2000 he and three other families took a legal action to secure State funding for the school. Last month it resulted in the State agreeing as a part of a settlement to pay €215,000 to keep the school going until July.

Negotiations are to take place with government officials on meeting the future needs of the families involved.

Last night presentation took place at the Berkeley Court Hotel in Dublin where Colm was handed the keys of a€15,000 Renault Clio by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

Nominator Teresa Hearne received two tickets for a ten day holiday in Bali and Singapore for her part in the awards which involved 12 finalists.

A host of celebrities were involved in last nights award ceremony. Among them were Irish internationals Shane Horgan, Denis Hickey and Brian O'Driscoll together with boxer Steve Collins and pop sensation Six who performed for the guests.

MC was 2FM's Ryan Tubridy and Breffni Clack of Today FM.

The Spirit of Ireland Awards are the brainchild of businessman David Ryan who chairs the two year old event.