Irish Sport Honours Its Volunteers

20 Nov 2012

 

  • Minister Ring Acknowledges Contribution of 500,000 while Presenting Awards to Eleven Sporting Volunteers
  • Special Award for Tipperary's Liam Sheedy
  • Lifetime Award for Athletics Ronnie Long
  • Olympic Boxer's Father is Youth Coach of the Year
  • Awards Shared by Ten Sports

 

The Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, TD, acknowledged the major contribution played by Irish sports 500,000 volunteers as he presented the "National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sport" at a function held in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, earlier today. In all he presented eleven awards across ten sports.

The "National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sport" celebrates the contribution of those who volunteer across all of Irish sport. In making the presentations Minister Ring acknowledged the contribution made by volunteers saying that without their incredible efforts sport as we know it in Ireland today would not exist.

The National Awards are a collaboration between the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Irish Sports Council and the Federation of Irish Sport which represents over 70 sports in Ireland. This scheme is also supported by the Community Foundation of Ireland.

Among the recipients of this year's awards were Liam Sheedy, who managed Tipperary to All Ireland Senior success in 2010. He was nominated for his commitment to Tipperary hurling which has seen him manage hurling and camogie teams at all age levels in his home club of Portroe.

Hockey's Sally Ann Fanagan took the Adult Manager of the Year title for her commitment to the sport which this year came so close to qualifying for the London Olympics. Another Olympic connection was provided by Oliver O'Neill, who won the Youth Coaching Award. Oliver is the father of Darren O'Neill, captain of this year's successful Irish Olympic boxing team.

A Lifetime Award was presented to athletics' Ronnie Long who has served Irish athletics at every level from grassroots through to President of Athletics Ireland. His work at county and regional level as an administrator and the passion and energy he brought all his life to athletics was honoured in the award.

The award winners were selected by a committee chaired by Olympic gold medal winner, Ronnie Delany. Also on the committee were representatives from the Federation of Irish Sport, the Irish Sports Council, the Irish Times, RTE and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Speaking at the presentation of the awards Minister Ring said he was delighted to see the breadth of this year's awards which took in ten sports. He said the honours were all well-deserved for they demonstrated once again just how important volunteerism is in Irish sport as we know it today. He said that despite the professionalism that has come into sport at all levels, volunteers still have a huge role to play.

"It is particularly interesting for me to see how some of the people we honour today have risen to the very top in Irish sport and yet they have given back so much to their sports by volunteering. We see before us today people who have helped nurture young sportsmen and women who have gone on to participate at the Olympic Games. We also are honouring a man today who not alone has nurtured hurling and camogie at every age group through to senior but who also has gone on to manage his native county to All Ireland Senior Hurling success."

"For me all our winners epitomise true sportsmen and women who not alone get a great deal out of sport but perhaps just as importantly put a huge amount into sport."

Also speaking at the awards ceremony Sarah O'Connor, Chief Executive of the Federation of Irish Sport, said:

"As Minister Ring has said today Irish sport would not exist without the efforts of the 500,000 people who volunteer so freely of their time every year. This voluntary investment has been estimated to have an economic value equivalent of somewhere between €350 to €580 million each year."

"I don't think, however, you can really put a monetary value on just what volunteering means to sport in this country. To put it more simply the 1.7 million Irish people who actively participate in sport would simply not have the opportunity to do so if it weren't for people like our volunteers today."

"It is an effort that should not be taken for granted as without these volunteers not only would we cease to enjoy the successes achieved on the international stage but there would also be serious implications for public health at a time when obesity and other lifestyle induced chronic diseases are on the rise."


The full list of award winners is as follows:

  • Marian Fenton - Swimming (Adult coach)
  • Sally Ann Fanagan - Hockey (Adult manager)
  • Oliver O'Neill - Boxing (Youth coach)
  • Stephen Leigh - Basketball (Youth manager)
  • Rose Devine - Soccer (Community administrator)
  • Brendan Dowling - Martial Arts (National administrator)
  • Colm and Shelagh Leech - Special Olympics (Disability sport)
  • Mary Murray - Gymnastics Ireland (Sporting official)
  • Ronnie Long - Athletics (Lifetime award)
  • Liam Sheedy - Gaelic Games (Special recognition)