National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sport
Back Row: John Flynn, Michael Logue, Harry Brooks, Paddy O'Brien
and Eric Reilly
Front Row: Kathleen Sythes, Ronnie Delany, Minister O'Donoghue, Carmel Winkelmann
and Elizabeth Foley.
The ceremony for the inaugural National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sport took place on Thursday, 25 January 2007. Eight individuals were recognised for their tremendous voluntary contribution to their club, their chosen sport and their community. Mr. John O'Donoghue T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism presented each of the winners with a specially designed award at the ceremony in Farmleigh House, Dublin.
The scheme was launched in July last year to recognise and honour on a national platform individual volunteers in Irish sport. Clubs and sports were asked to nominated individuals whom they considered to have given invaluable voluntary service to their chosen sport. A Selection Committee chaired by Olympic gold medallist Mr. Ronnie Delany chose the eight successful candidates.
The eight award recipients were John Flynn for Athletics, Paddy O'Brien for Gaelic Games, Harry Brooks for Rugby, Eric Reilly for Soccer, Carmel Winkelmann for Sailing, Michael Logue for Community Games, Kathleen Sythes for Skiing and Elizabeth Foley for Special Olympics.
Commenting on the Awards, Minister O'Donoghue said: "I am delighted to recognise the immensely important role that volunteers play in sport and to celebrate the well deserved success of the eight award winners. Their boundless enthusiasm, commitment and dedication have been an inspiration to generations of people participating in sport and are an example for us all to follow. Volunteers are the lifeblood of sport in Ireland and it is fitting that we now have a national awards scheme that recognises the enormous contribution they make not just to their clubs but to society at large.
This new awards scheme is intended to raise the profile of volunteerism
in Ireland and it is my hope that the awards will provide encouragement to
existing volunteers and to those who can make a contribution by volunteering
either their time, support or experience to the ongoing development of sport
in Ireland."
Full Press Release including biographies of the award winners
Minister O'Donoghue's speech at the Awards Ceremony