The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Long time basketball activist Stephen Leigh from Ennistymon was one of 11 volunteers honoured at a function at the Aviva stadium in Dublin earlier this week.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, acknowledged the major contribution played by Irish sports 500,000 volunteers as he presented the National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sport.
Ennistymon’s Stephen Leigh has ensured that the sport of basketball continues to thrive. Since 2010 he has worked extremely closely with the Clare Local Sports Partnership to establish the Clare under age basketball league. There are now 10 new clubs operating in the county at under 13 and under 15 levels. Stephen was presented with a youth manager award at this week’s function when the awards were shared by ten sports.
The awards to Volunteers in Irish Sport celebrates the contribution of those who volunteer across all of Irish sport. In making the presentations Minister Ring acknowledged the contribution made by volunteers.
The National Awards are a collaboration between the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Irish Sports Council and the Federation of Irish Sport which represents over 70 sports in Ireland. This scheme is also supported by the Community Foundation of Ireland.
Among the recipients were Liam Sheedy, who managed Tipperary to All Ireland Senior success in 2010. He was nominated for his commitment to Tipperary hurling which has seen him manage hurling and camogie teams at all age levels in his home club of Portroe. Just a few weeks ago he helped Newmarket bridge a thirty one year gap to their last Clare senior championship success
The award winners were selected by a committee chaired by Olympic gold medal winner, Ronnie Delany. Also on the committee were representatives from the Federation of Irish Sport, the Irish Sports Council, the Irish Times, RTE and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
Speaking at the presentation of the awards Minister Ring said the honours were all well-deserved for they demonstrated once again just how important volunteerism is in Irish sport. He said that despite the professionalism that has come into sport at all levels, volunteers still have a huge role to play.
“It is particularly interesting for me to see how some of the people we honour today have risen to the very top in Irish sport and yet they have given back so much to their sports by volunteering. All our winners epitomise true sportsmen and women who not alone get a great deal out of sport but perhaps just as importantly put a huge amount into sport.”
The full list of award winners is Marian Fenton (swimming) Sally Ann Fanagan (hockey), Oliver O’Neill (boxing), Rose Devine (soccer), Brendan Dowling (martial arts), Colm and Shelagh Leech (Special Olympics) Mary Murray (gymnastics Ireland) Ronnie Long (athletics—Lifetime award), Liam Sheedy (Gaelic Games) and Stephen Leigh (basketball).
