MAJOR HONOURS FOR LOCAL CAMOGIE STALWARTS
Conna’s Marie Clancy and Cappoquin’s Tricia McCarthy will receive nationwide recognition for their years of dedicated volunteer work with their local camogie clubs at next week’s virtual Federation of Irish Sport Volunteers in Sport Awards ceremony.
Marie Clancy is without doubt the driving force of St. Catherine’s
Camogie Club. Having first got involved in the club as a player at underage level, Marie joined the committee as a 14-yearold.
Various chairpersons, secretaries and team managers have come and gone over the years, but Marie has never stepped back or taken a break from her busy roles.
She has filled many important roles over the years and has dedicated her time tirelessly to helping the club run. Now the club’s president, she is seen as a great sounding board by many in the club and is always on hand to help out and encourage everyone.
CAPPOQUIN CLUB’S SUCCESS
In 1998, upon realising there was no sports club for her daughter to join, Tricia McCarthy, with her friend Gina McGrath, set up Cappoquin Camogie Club. Since then, Tricia has been the influential force behind the club’s success.
As a speedy forward for the neighbouring camogie club of Lismore, Tricia won eight county senior titles and represented Waterford senior team for several years, before establishing Cappoquin. As a volunteer, Tricia has taken on every role in the club from manager and coach to sitting on the club committee. Tricia is a strong advocate of women in sport and is passionate that all young girls should be offered the opportunity to play sport, a passion she has endeavoured to fulfil in her own club.
As a result of Tricia’s 23 years of hard work and determination, Cappoquin Camogie Club is now one of the largest sports clubs for women in west Waterford. Tricia continues to give of her time freely to the club and now serves as the club Chairperson.
The Volunteers in Sport Awards, proudly supported by EBS, celebrate the contributions of the band of volunteers across the country who give their time to Irish sport and physical activity every year.
RECOGNITION AWARD
Pádraic Kearney (RIP) has been honoured with a Special Recognition Award for his commitment to Gaelic Games in Adare GAA Club (Limerick). His untimely passing earlier this year has been felt by everyone in the club, especially the younger members, who Pádraic coached for many years.
Commenting on the awards, Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers, TD, said the amount of hard work and dedication that these volunteers give to sport in Ireland is ‘quite truly astonishing’.
The awards will be streamed live each evening from 7pm on the Federation of Irish Sport’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook. com/federationofirishsport/ with the awards schedule as follows: Tuesday, Dec 7th - Leinster and Special Recognition Award; Wednesday 8th - Munster, Connacht and Special Recognition Award and Thursday 9th: - Ulster and Outstanding Achievement Award.