PICTURE: Clonmel's Pat Hayes honoured with national Volunteer Ireland Award

Clonmel's Pat Hayes has been honoured with the Sports & Recreation award at the national Volunteer Ireland Awards.

The awards, which took place in Dublin on Friday, December 2, celebrate Ireland’s outstanding volunteers.

Pat joined Clonmel Town Football Club over 15 years ago to help train/coach the schoolboys.

In 2014, Pat took on the role of Chairman of the Schoolboys section, quickly establishing the Junior Academy and was instrumental in introducing schoolgirls teams.

In 2022 a total of 515 boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 16 were actively playing soccer with Clonmel Town.

Pat said: “There are so many parts of my volunteering role at Clonmel Town FC that I enjoy. But my favourites would be seeing the happy faces on the kids at the end of training sessions, and the sense of satisfaction that I get from keeping so many boys and girls actively playing sport for as long as possible.”

Stevie O’Donnell from Tipperary Town was also honoured as one of only three volunteers nationally shortlisted in the Arts, Culture and Media category.

According to Tipperary Volunteer Centre Manager, Derek Fanning: “We are lucky to have kind and generous volunteers like Pat and Stevie in Tipperary. The difference they make in our communities and the lives of local people is immense. These awards give us a chance to say thank you and to recognise and celebrate their wonderful contribution on the national stage. I’d like to congratulate Stevie and Pat along with all our winners and nominees tonight.”

Joe O’Brien, Minister of State for Charities at the Department of Rural and Community Development said: “It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Gwen and all winners of the Volunteer Ireland 2022 Awards, which are supported by my Department. These awards highlight the key role volunteers play in their communities. Volunteering enriches our lives in so many ways; so many sporting, cultural, and local events are only possible because of your vision, devotion, and energy. Those who benefit from your selfless acts of caring and support would find life a lot harder without you. I would also like to thank Volunteer Ireland for their work in supporting volunteering.”

Reflecting on the Volunteer Ireland Awards, Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Mr Frank Feighan TD said: “The winner, and indeed all who were shortlisted, reflect the huge role played by volunteers across the country. I’m delighted that Healthy Ireland’s continued partnership with Volunteer Ireland can play a role in supporting the important work of the worthy winners recognised here today. They epitomise the role of volunteering in healthy, happy, and resilient communities, and never more so than in recent years.”

The Volunteer Ireland Awards are the national awards for volunteering in Ireland and shine a light on the ordinary people doing extraordinary things in our communities every day. 11 category winners and the overall Volunteer of the Year were named at an awards ceremony in the Carlton Hotel Blanchardstown, Dublin.

The awards are supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Healthy Ireland.