Nominations for The Post's second annual Liberty Medal Awards are pouring in, with New Yorkers looking to honor the unsung heroes of the city.

Today, we introduce a few of the nominees who have already made New York a better place through their selfless actions and unflagging dedication.

Maureen O'Malley-Byrnes' days go by in jig time because the dancer is busy keeping in step with her heritage and her community.

An Irish step-dancing teacher in her native Brooklyn, the 31-year-old Marine Park mother of two believes "it's important in this day and age to pass on culture, to remember who you are and where you came from."

She opened the O'Malley Irish Dance Academy in 1994 and her students, ages 3 to 65, put on free shows at countless charity events because, she says, "You should be able to give back to your community."

Husband John Byrnes nominated his wife for the Liberty Community Medal and says "each year she gives out an Irish dance scholarship, a $500 college scholarship and supports a local youth basketball team."

Maureen began learning traditional Irish dancing when she was 4 years old - using the soft shoe to make "a graceful light movement" and the hard shoe for the rhythmic, intricate steps.

And Maureen has all the answers, including why step dancers keep the upper body rigid.

"Folklore says that it goes back to when the English outlawed dancing in Ireland," she said. "A lot of houses had half doors, where the top can open while the bottom stays closed. The story goes that by keeping the upper body straight, you couldn't be seen dancing if the bottom door was closed.

"Of course, that could be another good Irish story," she laughed.

Maureen and John married in 1998. When their daughter, Katie, was born three years ago, she left her job to work full-time at the dance academy, which she opened in 1994. The couple's son, Jack, is 1 1/2.

The doting mom says that so far, the only dancing little Katie does is "all over my furniture."