Three more All Star Awards for Our Lady’s Secondary School, Castleblayney ……… as they celebrate their 15^th Ladies All Star in six years

Our Lady’s Secondary School added to their fantastic success in the Ulster Ladies Colleges All Star Awards scheme on Wednesday November 8^th when it was announced that three girls from the school, Niamh Kerr, Jennifer Duffy and Jayne Drury were selected on the Ulster Ladies All Star team for 2017 / 2018 bringing the total number of Ladies All Star Awards in the school to fifteen in six years- an extremely impressive record by any schools standards. The three girls were among five girls selected by the school to attend an initial trial in Cookstown were 130 girls from across the province attended. All three girls impressed the selectors present to be invited back to the second trial on November 7^th that was attended by 75 players. The school was delighted that the three girls were selected as representatives on this year’s team. Niamh is the daughter of Ciaran & Ann Kerr from Annyalla and plays her club football with O’ Neill Shamrocks. This is the second year in a row that Niamh has been selected on the Ulster Colleges All Star team matching the achievement of her brother Barry who received Ulster Colleges All Stars in 2014 & 2015. Jennifer is the daughter of Mick & Patricia Duffy from Carrickaderry, Clontibret and also plays her club football with O’ Neill Shamrocks. This is Jennifer’s first All Star Award. Jayne is the daughter of Stephen & Marie Drury from Ballybay and plays her club football with the St. Brigid’s Club in Ballybay. Jayne is the youngest ever Ulster Ladies Colleges All Star in Our Lady’s. All three girls will receive their awards at a special ceremony in Kelly’s Inn Ballygawley after Christmas and will train with the Ulster All Star panel in the coming weeks in preparation for the Interprovincial tournament in Kinnegan, Westmeath in January. These awards come as a timely boost to the Senior Girls GAA team who have made a promising start to their Ulster A campaign.  Speaking at the school during the week the Principal Mr. Kelly congratulated the girls on their outstanding achievement ‘for a school to have one Ulster Colleges All Star in any year is a fantastic achievement but to have three representatives on the team in one year is a huge honour and one of which we are very proud. All three girls are excellent role models for their peers and for the younger students in the school and I’ve no doubt that they have great futures ahead of them in Gaelic Games. I would like to pay particular tribute to their coaches Mr. Graham & Ms. O Keeffe for the fantastic work they are doing with the girls and indeed all our GAA coaches who give so generously of their time to help our students develop and display their talents and skills in Ulster Colleges football. The high level of success we have enjoyed in GAA and the number of All Star Awards for boys and girls is a testimony to the great work by all teachers involved in coaching & promoting Gaelic Games in our school’. For the record the fifteen All Stars since 2012 are as follows:

• 2017 / 2018: Niamh Kerr, Jennifer Duffy & Jayne Drury
• 2016 / 2017: Aisling Callan & Niamh Kerr
• 2015 / 2016:Muireann Atkinson, Celine Nally, Orlaith Maguire & Eimear Finnegan
• 2014 / 2015: Muireann Atkinson & Niamh Callan
• 2013 / 2014: Aoife Duffy, Niamh Callan & Muireann Atkinson
• 2012 / 2013: Emma Mc Kenna