Irish News Club & Volunteer Award Winners 2017

THE IRISH NEWS have  unveiled the winners of their highly contested Irish News Club & Volunteer Awards. The Awards initiative now in its 15^th year recognises and rewards GAA Schools, Clubs & Volunteers throughout Ulster for their commitment to Gaelic games and their community. The Awards this year are revamped to recognise the work that Clubs are doing in the areas of Club Engagement, Underage Development, Coaching, Irish Language, Health Fitness and Wellbeing.

For the second time in as many months Killeevan Sarsfields walked away with the recognition, and the valuable prize, for their work in promoting the Irish language.

Noel Doran editor Irish News, congratulated all the clubs, schools and volunteers that received awards adding that ‘the Irish News Club & Volunteer awards are tangible proof that our clubs, our volunteers & our schools are indeed the foundation of the GAA.’

He added, ‘the awards have proven to be overwhelmingly successful as recognition for the hard work of the winning clubs, volunteers and schools. The awards are a great celebration of the vibrant communities that are created by schools, clubs and volunteers right across Ulster.’

Killeevan Sarsfields GAA had four representatives in the Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast on Friday the 12^th May last. Irish Language Officer  and PRO Brian MacUaid, Coiste Gaeilge member Mary Graham, Treasurer Fergal Kierans and Senior team player Finian Smith. They hadn’t long to wait with the Irish language initiative award being the first announced.

John Brolly, head of marketing at the Irish News give details of just some of the Monaghan club’s Irish language initiatives such as bi-lingual club notes, Ranganna Gaeilge, Ciorcal Comhrá, links with Gaelteacht club Gaoth Dobhair to name but a few.

It fell to Brian MacUaid, on behalf of the Killeevan club, to collect the award. Chief Executive of Foras na Gaeilge Sean O Coinn presented the Na Sáirséalaigh man with a framed certificate, a cheque for £500 and a voucher for £500 worth of O’Neill’s sportswear.

Speaking afterwards an tUas MacUaid expressed his delighted at the Killeevan club again being recognised for its efforts. “We have a fantastic club, with a very strong link between our players, supporters and our community. It’s thanks to participation of all these people that the huge progress in the visibility, and especially the use of, Irish around Páirc na Sáirséalaigh, has been acheived. Míle buíochas achan duine as bhur gcuidiú” a dúirt sé.

Brian McAvoy Ulster GAA CEO commented, ‘Comhairle Uladh CLG are delighted to partner the Irish News Club & Volunteer Awards which recognise the work and vision of the GAA grassroots in Ulster. I commend the Irish News on this excellent venture and I would like to congratulate the winning clubs, volunteers and schools.’