Green Machine nominated for National Award
December 04, 2015
Hockey Ireland is delighted to announce that the Irish men's hockey team have been nominated for the National Award at the prestigious 2015 Canon Hayes National Sports Awards.
Press Release:
Some of the top names in Irish sport will gather in Ballykisteen Hotel and Golf Resort, Tipperary, on Saturday, December 5th for the 2015 Canon Hayes National Sports Awards. These awards which are recognised as being one of the most prestigious in the country are in their 20th year and Canon Hayes Centre Chairman, Martin Quinn, says that this year's event is a great celebration of sport on a local and national basis.
The Awards were inaugurated in 1996 and over the years they have grown in importance and significance and are now rightfully regarded as being the most prestigious of their kind in the country. This is attributable to the fact that they encompass all sporting disciplines and that they adequately reflect the top sporting achievements in any given year. In effect therefore they are a ‘true barometer of the sporting year’ said Martin Quinn.
The nominees for the National Award include four teams; Irish Senior Men's Hockey Team, Dundalk FC, Irish Showjumping Team and the Irish Elite Boxing Team. The County Award includes sportspeople who have also excelled at a national/international level; former Irish Rugby International and Clonmel coach Denis Leamy, Irish Amateur Soccer players Chris Higgins, Paul Breen and Jim Carr and Irish and International Showjumper Greg Broderick.
Competing for Local honours are Triathlete Denise White Compton, Tipperary Minor dual star Tommy Lowry and Cyclist Dermot Radford. The Outstanding Achievement Award is being lined up for the giant-killing feat of Clonmel Commercials, who pulled off a sensational victory over Nemo Rangers in the Munster Senior Club Championship on Sunday last to claim a first ever provincial title for Clonmel and Tipperary.
Other awards on the night will include the Volunteer in Sport Award and the Mick Doyle Golden Memory Award, which will be presented to 1992 Olympic Gold Medallist, Michael Carruth. There is a special Lifetime Achievement Award to race walker Jack Dowling, who at 12 years of age escaped from the brutal industrial school system in Ireland, walking away from Greenmount in Cork City. Little did Jack know then that walking great distances would become a big part of his life. (His story was recently featured on the Documentary on One series on RTE Radio 1 - My Uncle Jack).
Many former and recently retired sportspeople will be in attendance at the Awards including Ronnie Delany, Eamonn Coghlan, Brendan Cummins and Olive Loughnane.
The Awards will be presented by Mr. Alan Kelly, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Ends.
