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National And International Achievements Recognised At Annual Sports Awards In Roscrea

Thursday, 16 February 2012

The 14th annual RCTLC Roscrea & District Sports Stars awards were presented at the Racket Hall Hotel, Roscrea on Friday night last. Pictured are the award recipients, sponsors, organisers and members of the selection committee. MT0712

'As a community we box well above our weight in the number of international and national titles achieved in 2011,' said guest of honour ILGU President Marjorie McCorduck at the presentation of the 14th annual RCTLC Sports Awards at the Racket Hall Hotel in Roscrea on Friday night last.
She also noted that they were honoured to have in their midst someone who had successfully climbed Mount Everest, Martin Byrne from Golden Grove, Roscrea.
The latest entrant into the Hall of Fame was Jimmy Kelly from Borris-In-Ossory, who has given a lifetime of service to Borris-in-Ossory GAA Club as well as serving the community as a member of Laois County Council for 35 years.
Two men who have given a lifetime of service to Roscrea Rugby Club, Denis Meagher and Ger Horan, were honoured with a Special Recognition Award.
Also remembered of the night was the late Gerry Slevin, who died last year. Gerry was a member of the selection committee for a long number of years and read the citations at the awards night in recent years. He was honoured with the Contribution to Sport Award.
The full list of award winners was: Hall of Fame - Jim Kelly from Borris-in-Ossory; Athletics - Michael Mulhare from North Laois; Badminton - Roscrea Badminton Club; Camogie - Harps Camogie Club; Gaelic Football - Liam England, Inane Rovers; Golf - Roscrea Ladies Minor Cup Team; Hurling - Joe Brady from Coolderry; Soccer - James Mullaney from Castletown; The Team Award went to the Tipperary Minor Football Team; The winner of the Special Achievement Award was Martin Byrne from Golden Grove, Roscrea who during this year became the 19th Irish person to reach the summit of Mount Everest; The Special Recognition Rugby Award went to Denis Meagher and Ger Horan from Roscrea Rugby Club; The Youth Award winner was Peter Dooley from Birr; This year's Contribution to Sports award was awarded posthumously to Gerry Slevin RIP.
MC for the evening Lilian Delaney, chairperson of the organising committee, welcomed everyone to the event, including their Joint Patron, Bishop Willie Walsh, and Archdeacon Wayne Carney, representing Rt. Rev. Trevor Williams, Bishop of Limerick & Killaloe, who was out of the country.
She also welcomed Pat O'Halloran and Vincent Kinane from Rosderra Meats, the sponsors of the evening and said their support for the event was invaluable.
As each recipient came forward to accept their award, citations outlining their achievements were read by John O'Callaghan.
Hall of Fame award winner Jimmy Kelly extended thanks to RCTLC for the honour bestowed on him. He also congratulated all the other winners. 'It is indeed a marvellous honour and privilege for me to stand up here tonight.' He said he was shocked and taken aback when he heard he was receiving the award.
He said his involvement in the GAA goes way back in the 1930s. His teacher was the legendary Bob O'Keeffe, a prominent GAA figure, who was secretary of the Leinster Council and later President of the GAA after whom the Leinster Senior Hurling trophy is named. The GAA was very strong in Borris-In-Ossory as a result.
'I want to compliment the present committee of Borris In Ossory GAA for the courage they had in acquiring land to provide a further playing pitch for the youngsters of the village. It was a marvellous and courageous thing to do.
'I pay special thanks to RCTLC and wish them every success and especially the selection committee for picking me tonight. To my fellow recipients I say well done.
'I want to refer to the fine noble gesture on behalf of the committee this year in remembering Gerry Slevin. I read so much about him and some of the books he has written. He was an institution and did wonderful work in every organisation he was involved in,' said Jimmy.
Marjorie McCorduck said that 'as President of the Irish Ladies Golf Union it is an honour and privilege to be here to join in the celebration of the dedication and commitment of the sportsmen and women who are being honoured here this evening. The popularity of sport relies to a very large extent on the achievement of our sports stars. They provide the inspiration for future generations which aids the growth and prosperity of all our sports clubs. To have among us one who has successfully climbed Everest is quite exceptional. As a community we box well above our weight in the number of international and national titles achieved in 2011.
'In paying tribute to our award winners, I know they are acutely aware that the valuable support of their families, friends, coaches and mentors has contributed greatly to their success. All of us should be immensely proud of their achievements,' she said.
Marjorie said she had been immensely fortunate to have had the opportunity to try many different types of sport. She recalled cycling to Roscrea to play tennis, playing squash as a student nurse and said when she married her husband David and moved to Roscrea she joined the Golf Club.
'Little did I realise then the amazing opportunities joining Roscrea Golf Club would present me with. At that time David was captain of the rugby team. Gerry Horan was secretary and Denis Meagher was Treasurer of the club. How amazing to think that both men are still the backbone of the club today and well deserving of their recognition tonight,' she said.
'Later I found myself involved in golf administration, first with the Midland District and then with the National Council in Dublin and later following that with the Ladies Golf Union in St Andrew's where I was co-opted onto the Royal & Ancient Rules of Golf committee. During this period I was privileged to act as walking referee at four Open Championships, a rare honour for a female. The experience of walking inside the ropes with many famous golfers was immense but the highlight for me was my close association with Padraig Harrington when he won the coveted claret jug in Carnoustie in 2007. It was a wonderful occasion.
'In 2008 just as I was set to retire I was privileged to be asked to accept the nomination as President Elect of the Irish Ladies Golf Union for 2009-2010. We now boast 45,000 women and girl golfers in Ireland and I feel very honoured and humbled to be the 32nd President of the Union,' she added.
'2011 has been a memorable year for me just as it has been for Roscrea Golf Club. Watching the ladies Minor team progress through five stages of matches, winning their first ever District pennant and progressing to the national finals stages at Ardee was particularly pleasing for me,' said the ILGU President.
She thanked her husband David for his wonderful support during all these years of involvement.
'I would also like to thank the sponsors this evening and finally to congratulate all our sports stars and wish them well in their chosen sport in 2012 and beyond,' she said.
Speaking on behalf of the Slevin family after the presentation of the Contribution to Sport Award Brian Slevin thanked the organising committee 'for the wonderful honour bestowed on us tonight. On behalf of my mother and two sisters, I want to thank you very much for remembering my Dad. I know these awards had a special place in his heart.'
Martin Byrne, who received the Special Achievement Award in recognition of climbing Mount Everest, said it was a great honour to receive the award. He thanked everyone involved with the awards for honouring him.
Bishop Walsh said he was very happy to have the opportunity of thanking, on behalf of the guests, RCTLC for their kind invitation to attend and complimented them not only on the organisation of this function every year but also on the marvellous contribution that RCTLC has made to this community over a number of years.
'I am delighted to congratulate all the award winners tonight. I was particularly pleased to see two people who I went to school with over 60 years ago, Ger Horan and Denis Meagher, receiving awards, and also the late Gerry Slevin, that wonderful, extraordinary gentleman,' he said.
John Lupton, Chairman RCTLC congratulated each of the award winners. 'You are the reason we are here and you are an inspiration to all of us. We are honoured to have with us as guest of honour Marjorie McCorduck and I want to acknowledge the great work she is doing for golf and the great honour she is bringing to her native place. It is an honour to have her here.
'I wish also to thank Rosderra, without whose support this event would not be run year after year, so I would like to acknowledge their contribution to us tonight.
'Our awards selection committee is made up of the local press and I would like to thank them for the great work they have done. Tonight of course is marked with a certain poignancy having lost Gerry Slevin so unexpectedly in the last year. He was a towering figure over this whole process, on the night and indeed leading up to the night. He was a father figure of the selection committee. He was also a great friend of Roscrea's and of community endeavour in Roscrea,' said Mr Lupton.
He also paid tribute to the members of their own organising committee and also of Marie Tooher for all the work she does for the organisation.

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