Mayo athletics celebrates its best ever year
Children’s Games U9 to U11 National medal winners. Front row, left to right: Mark Kirrane and Paudie Vahey, Claremorris; Ciana Middleton and Sophie Hawkshaw, St Colman’s, Tom McHale and Sigurd Keane Jenson, Lake District. Middle row, left to right: Joe Tighe and Kyle Molloy, Moy Valley; Michael Walsh and Oliver Reilly, Erris; Casey Coyle and Lottie Heaney, Swinford. Back row, left to right: Sheila Hughes, secretary, Marion Mattimoe, PRO, Peter Moore, Westnet (sponsors) and Peter Hynes, chairperson, Mayo Athletic Co. Board. Pictures: Michael Donnelly
The Westnet Mayo Athletic Awards were hosted by Castlebar Athletic Club in Breaffy House Resort last month. The awards were to honour athletes, the young and the not so young, from all over Co Mayo for their achievements on track and field, cross country, nationally and internationally during 2023.
This was, by far, Mayo’s most successful year on the athletics front. Over 360 athletes, coaches, parents, grandparents and friends turned out in style for a great day to celebrate the fantastic successes. The awards ceremony was preceded by a gala dinner.
Peter Hynes, chairperson of the Mayo Athletic Co. Board, welcomed all to the function and congratulated all the athletes who represented their club, county and country with distinction during 2023. In his address, Hynes stated that the year had surpassed 2022 which in itself was brilliantly successful for Co Mayo. This year a total of 143 awards and 79 certificates were presented to athletes who won national and international medals.
“For so long Mayo had primarily been a county of juvenile athletes but these days there are so many seniors participating across a wide range of events as well,” the chairperson outlines. “Our greatest challenge remains retaining the young talent that we see so well represented here. There will come a time when we will have more athletes join the Olympians and World Champions already amongst us,” predicted Peter Hynes, who went on to say that the increasing success of Mayo athletes is not down to any quirk of fate but a whole host of inputs.
“We have some incredible facilities in the county which makes coaching easier and varied. However, our greatest resource remains the athlete and their supporters, be that parents, guardians, coaches, officials and administrators.
“We wouldn’t be here without you,” declared Hynes.
He went onto acknowledge the “unwavering support” of past sponsors Brendan and Julie Chambers and thanked new sponsor Westnet without whose “generous support [these awards] simply wouldn’t be possible.
Declan Kearney and Maria Sweeney read the citations on the day. Presentations were also made to Sheila Hughes, secretary of the Mayo Athletic Co Board, and Marion Mattimoe, competitions secretary and PRO.
Castlebar AC: Alannah Bourke, Cadhla Burke, Ciara Jennings, Eimear Hughes, Eloise Kearney, Emma Dempsey, Freya Sweeney, Hannah Kelly, Isabella Kearney, Isabelle Hanrahan, Lily Hurst, Maggie Holmes, Naomi Hanrahan, Saoirse McGreevy and Thomas Devaney.
Claremorris AC: Aine Ramsey, Danny Tunney, Ellen Trench, Harry Gilligan, John Clarke, Mark Kirrane, Paudie Vahey and Philip Griffith.
Erris AC: Ben O’Connor, David Walsh, Michael Walsh, Niamh Walsh, Oliver Reilly and Shane Naughton.
Lake District AC: David Marrey, Fionn Jennings, Liam Lynch, Sigurd Keane Jenson and Tom McHale, Mayo AC: Angela McVann, Breege Blehein, Breege Staunton, Claudia Davey, Donna Gallagher, John Brennan, John Walkin, Keith Conroy, Mary Murphy, Mattie Donnellan, Mike Griffin, Patrick Moran, Paula Donnellan Walsh and Sean McDonnell.
Moy Valley AC: Anna McDonnell, Aoife Blewitt, Brian Ruane, Brody Loftus-Rouse, Cian McDonnell, Cillian Ruane, Conor Blewitt, Darragh McHale, Donnacha Gavin, Eoghan Gallagher, Eoghan O’Hora, Gracie O’Brien, Jack Deacy, Jack Molloy, Joe Tighe, Kea Lavelle, Kyle Molloy, Lillian O’Brien, Luke Deacy, Luke Johnston, Majella Byrne, Noah Fleming, Oisin Cunnane, Patrick Ruane, Riain McLoughlin, Ronan McLoughlin. Scott Clarke, Siobhan O’Reilly, Thomas Munnelly and Tommy Tighe.
St Colman’s: Ciana Middleton, Jack Veldon, Louise Quinn, Nina Wallace and Sophie Hawkshaw.
Swinford AC: Addison McDonnell, Aoife Flatley, Casey Coyle, Cathal McNicholas, Ella Ginty, Holly Ginty, Isla Heaney, James Duffy, Lottie Heaney. Niamh Devaney, Patrick Hyland, Rhea Gostick, Rory Gruddy, Shane Bracken and Suese Nolan.
Westport: Claire Ryan, Eimear Jennings, Emma McGing, Erin Walsh, Ethan Doherty, Grace Clancy, Holly Renton, May Clarken, May Duckett, Michelle Needham, Padraic Corduff and Ruairi Hollywood.
Castlebar AC: Eugene McTigue.
Mayo AC: Angela O’Connor, Norah Newcombe Pietrese, Moy Valley AC: Daniel Gallagher, Grace Tighe and Roxanne Sands.
Nephin AC: Emma Edmundson.
St. Colman’s AC: Kyle Gleeson, Mark Wallace and Niamh O’Neill.
Swinford AC: Patrick Cuddy and Tom Gostick.
Ballina: Hugh Armstrong.
Lake District: Aaron Crowley, Moy Valley: Keelan Kilrehill, Kirsty Maher and Seamus Clarke.
Swinford: Caitlin Hughes.
Claremorris AC: Maxwell Marukasonti Mayo AC: Brendan Staunton, Collette Tuohy, Margaret Glavey and Martin Peyton.
Moy Valley AC: Christine Smith and Jake O’Brien.
St Colman’s: Caroline Conway AC.
Swinford AC: Emma Nolan.
Westport AC: Freya Renton.
Lake District AC: Barry Langan, Conor Cusack and Oisin Joyce, Mayo AC: Pauline Moran.
Moy Valley AC: Clodagh Gill.
Swinford AC: Michaela Walsh.
Track and Field COTY: Swinford AC.
Cross Country COTY: Moy Valley AC.
Senior COTY: St Colman’s AC.
Masters COTY: Mayo AC.
