COLLETTE RIORDAN NAMED THE 2022 COUNTY CORK RECIPIENT OF THE FEDERATION OF IRISH SPORT VOLUNTEERS IN SPORT AWARDS SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF 29 LOCAL SPORTS PARTNERSHIPS
The awards ceremony will take place at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown
on 22nd March 2023
The Federation of Irish Sport has today announced the winners of the 2023 Volunteers in Sport Awards proudly supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships. The County Cork award for 2022 has been awarded to Collette Riordan of West Muskerry AC.
The Volunteers in Sport Awards celebrate the contributions of the band of volunteers across the country who give their time to Irish sport and physical activity every year. Minister of State with responsibility for Sport and Physical Education Thomas Byrne TD is the special guest speaker at the awards, which will take place next week on March 22nd at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown and hosted by sports broadcaster Gráinne McElwain. The event will see volunteers from all 32 counties honoured for their amazing dedication to volunteering across a variety of different sports. Guests will also include key stakeholders from the sector. The overall Outstanding Achievement Award will be revealed on the day.
The recipient of the award for Co. Cork is Collette Riordan of West Muskerry AC, who has been at the heart of the club for over two decades. Colette’s commitment is second to none and for training often she is the first one to arrive and the last to leave. Training is sometimes five nights a week, Collette attends all of them and encourages athletes of all abilities. On Fridays, Collette trains the Special Olympics athletes at the club while in July every year she takes annual leave from her own job to run a full summer camp for the kids. Collette travels the length and breadth of the country to support all of the athletes from the club. In 2018, West Muskerry AC purchased its own training grounds for the first time, thanks to the fundraising done by Collette and a group of volunteers. In 2022, a hall was built thanks to the constant work done by Collette giving the club a real sense of identity.
Throughout December and January members of the public, sports clubs and governing bodies were invited by the Federation of Irish Sport in partnership with the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships to nominate an individual whose contribution to sport and physical activity in Ireland has made a real difference to their community, club or county. Following a shortlisting process by the Selection Committee, the judging panel consisting of 9 individuals drawn from sports administration, academia, the volunteer community and media, and included former Director General of the GAA, Paraic Duffy, RTÉ broadcaster, Marie Crowe and Declan Jordan, Senior Lecturer in Economics at UCC.
Commenting on the awards, Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne TD said:
“The volunteers being recognised today deserve enormous credit. Their work, often unseen and undertaken without any fuss or fanfare, makes sport a reality for hundreds if not thousands of people in their communities. In particular, the work of volunteers enables young people to play the sport that they love, to meet their friends and form lasting friendships. In so many ways, volunteers are the lifeblood of sport in this country and I am privileged to have this opportunity to publicly acknowledge their vital contribution to Irish sport.”
Speaking about the importance of the awards, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, Mary O’Connor said:
“In every county throughout the country, clubs and sporting organisations facilitate multi-generational opportunities for people to be involved in sport and physical activity. The work and goodwill of sport volunteers across the country cannot be taken for granted… Every week in Ireland more than 450,000 volunteers bring sport and physical activity to life for our communities and it’s time we afford their hard work the recognition it deserves. It is therefore important that we showcase the size and scale of this contribution by bringing such volunteers together today at the Volunteers in Sport Awards with attendees from every county in the country to shine a spotlight on the positive work they do for sport and physical activity.”
Head of Louth Sports Partnership, Graham Russell said:
”As the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships, we are each individually committed to supporting volunteers in our local Clubs, sporting organisations and other non-sporting groups that assist in making opportunities available within their own communities for people to enjoy all forms of physical activity. We are privileged to see, first hand, the amazing work these people do, and we are all delighted to see these local volunteers getting recognition at National level.”
