IN PICS: Delighted GAA volunteers receive Tipperary Laochra Gael awards last Friday

The inclusivity of the GAA as a community-centred sporting organisation was clearly demonstrated in the twenty six strong panel of people whose contribution to its day-to-day activities was acclaimed at the eighteenth Laochra Gael Awards ceremony at The Dome, Semple Stadium, on Sunday evening.

The awards honour people over seventy years of age whose commitment to GAA activities in a wide variety of spheres personifies volunteerism in its purest form. Men and women, former players in hurling, football, ladies football, handball and camogie, administrators, referees, those who take care of grounds and playing gear, fund-raisers etc, are among those whose contribution to the association has been appropriately recognised by the awards which were restored this year after the Covid-enforced break since 2019.

The group included high-profile figures such as former chairman of Tipperary County Board and Munster Council, Sean Fogarty of Moyne-Templetuohy, former county PRO and President of the Camogie Board, Liz Howard, Burgess, two-times All-Ireland senior hurling medal winning goalkeeper Roger Mounsey of Toomevara, Railway Cup football winner on the double with Munster, Eddie Webster of Loughmore-Castleiney, and former Tipperary and Munster camogie star, Deirdre Lane of Lorrha.

However, as John Costigan, chairman of the organising committee said in his introduction – we have people who have won medals at different levels and others who have never won silverware, but all in their own unique way have helped grow the association to its present position in the county.

That sentiment was re-echoed by county board chairman, Joe Kennedy, who said that down through the years the GAA has been backboned by volunteers who have given their time freely to the association and it was only fitting that these people are honoured with a Laochra Gael award in recognition of that service.

Guest of Honour at the function was John Tierney who has had a life-long involvement with the GAA in Tipperary and further afield as a player, and administrator and with the Tipperary Supporters club and who has had a distinguished career in the public sector over thirty six years, including spells as Dublin City Manager and Managing Director of Irish Water.

He congratulated the recipients and said that the beauty of the awards were that people from all walks of life in the association were treated equally. He also paid tribute to committee member Tim Floyd who is due to retire as county GAA secretary at the end of the year.

Responding on behalf of the recipients, Sean Fogarty thanked the committee for recognising them and added that it was nice to be remembered. He said that while coming in they may have thought their efforts might have been swallowed up in the mists of time, they were leaving with a pep in their step.

He said that the association had come a long way from how it was in the early days and this was brilliant but he wondered if perhaps things were being taken too seriously at inter-county level and the effect that the punishing schedules that players are being put through could be detrimental to their mental and physical health.

He welcomed the improvements in punctuality at games and in the attire of the players, but was concerned about the abuse of referees which was becoming more prevalent and which was frequently aimed at their families also. “Without referees there would be no games and my wish for the coming year is that all GAA people would show more respect for referees”, he said.

He added that the thanks of the recipients went out to the organising committee and to the families of the recipients who made it possible for them to fulfil their voluntary duties. They are the real heroes, he concluded.

To see the images from the brilliant evening in The Dome, FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles last Friday evening, click the >arrow> or 'Next' buttons.

The recipients of the awards were:

Mid recipients: Dick Buckley (Killea); Sean Fogarty (Moyne Templetuohy); John Harkin (Drom & Inch); Eddie Hosty (Holycross Ballycahill); Margaret Ryan (Moycarkey Borris); Eddie Webster (Loughmore Castleiney).

West recipients: George Corcoran (Rosegreen); Jack Hennessy (Emly); Tom O'Donoghue (Arravale Rovers); Laoise and Joseph O'Keeffe (Clonoulty Rossmore); Jimmy Looby (Rockwell Rovers).

North recipients: Willie Hayden (Silvermines); Liz Howard (Burgess); Deirdre Lane (Lorrha); Tony Tierney (Nenagh Éire Óg); TF Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh); Tess Moloney-Moton (Roscrea); Roger Mounsey (Toomevara).

South recipients: Dick Egan (CJ Kickhams, Mullinahone); Mary Godfrey (Fethard); Billy McCarthy (Clonmel); Pakie Mullins (Clonmel); Michael O'Connor (Fr Sheehys); Patsy Tynan (Killenaule); Timmy Ryan (Clonmel Commercials); Kitty Savage (Ardfinnan).