Ladies Gaelic Football

ladiesgaelic.ie // 29 LGFA VOLUNTEER AWARDS 2018 Volume 14 | Issue No 1 | PEIL Spring ATURDAY, February 17 2018 will go down as a red- letter day in this history of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association. The inaugural LGFA Volunteer of the Year awards were held at Croke Park, with over 200 guests present. Administrators, coaches and media were among those honoured across seven categories, as Sheena Byrne, from Kilcock in county Kildare, scooped the Lulu Carroll award as the Overall Volunteer of the Year award winner. Awards were also handed out in seven other categories, namely Committee Oºcer of the Year, Club Coach of the Year, Youth Volunteer of the Year, School Coach of the Year, PRO (Public Relations Oºcer) of the Year and Local Journalist of the Year. The Young Volunteer of the Year for 2017 is Denis Ring from Knocknagree in county Cork. Denis has been actively involved since his club was set up in 2011, first assisting with the U12s and coaching a team every year since he was 18. Denis has assisted with the running of club summer camps and even requested teaching practice closer to home so that he could still volunteer with his club. He's also the club's assistant secretary and was nominated for the award by Jack Reen. The School Coach of the Year is Laura Bannon, who has been a full-time PE Teacher in St Dominic's Grammar School Falls Road, Belfast, for the past ten years. It's not unusual for Laura to stay behind in school most days of the week in order to coach the U19, U16, U14 and year 8 teams Her skills were recognised last year by the Antrim County Board, who asked her to coach the county's U16 team. In June 2017, when all schools competitions were complete, Laura continued to train all of the U14 girls and introduced an In-school competition which ran for 8 weeks on a daily basis, involving over 70 pupils, some of whom had never Inaugural LGFA Volunteer Awards S played Gaelic football. She supervised, while the senior pupils coached and managed the teams. Laura's nominee was Eva Cafolla, who said: "My success I attribute to Mrs Bannon. She is the reason I am a fitter, healthier and competent Gaelic football player. I am only one example of the hundreds of girls who could tell the same story." The PRO of the Year award winner is Aisling Clery from Meath, who remains involved in the LGFA after 15 years at club, county, provincial and national levels. Aisling is one of the hardest-working volunteers out there and is a regular attendee of games at all levels – while maintaining an active presence across various social media. She was nominated for the award by Kildare LGFA's Donal Fitzpatrick. The Local Journalist of the Year award was taken home by Kieran McCarthy, sports editor with West Cork newspaper The Southern Star. A Kerry native, Kieran explained how he's found a new home in West Cork and his publication devotes excellent coverage to Ladies Football, focusing on club and inter- county activity. Before big games, the paper often features interviews with individual footballers. This gives readers an in-depth insight into the ladies behind the jersey. The club coach of the year winner is Marie Egan, from Kilmihil in county Clare, who's been coaching underage teams in her club for over 20 years. Each week from February, right through until the end of October, Marie spends hours training girls - U8s, 10s and 12s - along with organising and attending U12 League, Championship & Challenge games, and U10 & U8 Blitz's and Primary School games. Marie was described as a person who's not just a coach – she washes the jerseys, does first aid, is the club PRO, County Board delegate, and gets involved in fundraising. The Committee Oºcer of the Year winner is Siobhan Condon, who has taken on numerous administration and management/coaching roles over the past number of years. Siobhan spent most of her playing days playing camogie for Galbally, Co. Limerick, but when the St. Ailbe's Ladies Football Club in Emly (Tipperary) was being revived

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