Full house expected for Longford Leader Sports Star Awards 2023 gala presentation on Friday night

The 2023 Longford Leader Sports Star Awards, in association with Longford Sports Partnership, will be presented at a gala presentation function in the Longford Arms Hotel on Friday, November 24 at 8pm, with Tony Ghee as master of ceremonies for the occasion.

Longford people love their sport. The county is steeped in sporting tradition. Its sportspeople always relish a challenge and they derive enormous pride whenever they manage to box well above their weight on the national and international stage.

The prowess of Ray Flynn, Eddie Macken, the late John Donlon and Bobby Burns, Dessie Barry and Paul Barden will always be revered.

And today we have many rising sports stars throughout the county - Cian McPhillips, Darragh Greene, Melissa O’Kane, Michelle Farrell, Yemi Talabi, Nelvin Appiah, Aodh Dervin and Goodness Ogbonna, establishing big reputations for themselves and rubbing shoulders with the best in their chosen discipline.

It is important that we celebrate sporting excellence and the Longford Leader Sports Star Awards, in association with Longford Sports Partnership, will recognise the cream of Longford sporting talent on November 24 in the Longford Arms Hotel.

The Longford Leader Sports Star Awards scheme is a continuation of the very successful Longford Sports Awards, initiated by Longford Sports Partnership in 2012.

After four consecutive years, 2012 - 2015 inclusive, there was no awards ceremony in 2016, however, they returned in impressive style in 2017, with Ganly’s as the lead sponsor in association with Longford Sports Partnership and the Longford Leader.

The awards were also presented in 2018 and 2019, with Tokyo Olympic Games (2021) swimmer Darragh Greene selected as the Overall 2019 Longford Sports Star of the Year.

As the world battled against the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions put paid to social gatherings and numerous events, the awards didn’t take place in 2020 or 2021 and it was great to see them return in 2022.

The Overall 2022 Longford Sports Star of the Year Award winner was athlete Cian McPhillips.

Longford Leader Managing Editor Alan Walsh said, “We are looking forward with great excitement to Friday’s function as renowned Longford Swimming Club coach Ronan McNevin will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”

He added, “The Longford Leader has been connecting communities and covering Longford sporting achievements for 126 years and we’re committed to doing so in print and online on longfordlive.ie for many years to come.

“And we are looking forward to honouring the county’s dedicated sportspeople and volunteers from over the past twelve months on Friday, November 24.”

Mr Walsh said the Longford Leader is delighted to be working alongside Longford Sports Partnership to present the 2023 Longford Sport Stars Awards. “A huge thanks to Longford Sports Partnership Coordinator Sarah Mulligan for her expertise, advice and guidance in relation to the awards scheme.

“Sarah, her colleagues and the Board of Longford Sports Partnership, headed up by Chairperson Tony Headon, do an incredible amount of positive work promoting sport and physical activity to people of all ages and abilities across the county, and they deserve enormous credit for this. And the Longford Leader / Longford Live is delighted to be teaming up with Longford Sports Partnership on the awards scheme.”

Longford has produced a myriad of top swimmers over the years and Ronan McNevin has played an integral role in their development and he is a very worthy recipient of the Hall of Fame accolade.

Ballymore GAA player, club administrator and groundsman Damien Monaghan has been chosen as the Club Volunteer of the Year award winner and the Sports Ability Award will be presented to Liam Madden, the long serving Longford Special Olympics Coach.

Promising young athlete Emma Brennan enjoyed an incredible 2023 and the Longford Athletics Club / Drumlish Ballinamuck Community Games representative will be presented with the Junior Sports Person of the Year.

The Clonguish Óg U18 (Minor) Team, Gaelic Football have been selected as the Team of the Year and 2023 was a year that saw Clonguish dominate the Longford GAA underage ranks, while their senior men and ladies contested football finals and their senior hurlers were crowned county champions.

Ten category winners were also selected (in alphabetical order) - Yaw Appiah, Rugby; Anne Casey and Ann Gregg, Golf; John Fitzpatrick, Athletics; Fiona Gettings, Athletics; Michaela Hand, Soccer; Jenny Mahon, Handball; Cian McLoughlin, Shooting; Aine Murray, Equestrian; Joe Shannon, Snooker and Kate Shannon, Ladies Football.

Each of the fifteen award recipients, and you can read about their fantastic achievements in this special supplement, will also be in the running for the coveted title of Overall 2023 Longford Leader Sports Star of the Year and this will be revealed on the night of the gala presentation.

Tickets for the gala dinner and awards presentation on Friday, November 24 in the Longford Arms Hotel costing €35 each can be purchased from the Longford Leader office at Market Square, Longford N39 KN82 ; telephone 043 33 45241.