Vote in the Carlow Nationalist Sports Star of the Year Awards
The Nationalist Sports Star Awards are almost here
The Nationalist’s Carlow Sports Star Awards will be held in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel on Friday 21 February and this is your chance to help pick the overall award winner.
With Irish racing legend Davy Russell the special guest on the night, the event promises to be a fantastic night and as always, there are plethora of Carlow sporting stars to be recognised for their excellence.
The voting for the overall award takes place on the Carlow Nationalist website, carlow-nationalist.ie, and runs from 9am on Tuesday 11 February to 5pm on Tuesday 18 February.
Rathvilly’s Conor Doyle takes the GAA Football award after a starring role for club and county through 2024, just as Hurling winner James Doyle did with St Mullins and Carlow.
Ladies Football winner Ruth Bermingham captained Carlow to a historic National League title before returning to her club and playing a starring role in Bennekerry/Tinryland's run to All-Ireland glory in Croke Park.
Aimee Nolan came up trumps for Myshall at the business end of the season with huge performances at the business end of the year.
Padraig Amond returned to League of Ireland football for the first time in over a decade and his performances earned him a place in the PFAI Team of the Year and he was one of three players nominated for their Player of the Year award.
Aoife Kelly takes the Ladies Soccer award once again. She was nominated for the FAI U19 Player of the Year after appearing at the U19 European Championships where Ireland competed very well against Spain, Germany and Netherlands. Aoife also continued her League of Ireland career with Shamrock Rovers.
Mens' Rugby winner Stephen Smyth appeared for Ireland at the U20 Six Nations and then travelled South Africa with the Emerging Ireland squad. He went on to make his Leinster debut against Connacht in October.
Womens' Rugby winner Dannah O’Brien enjoyed another stellar year in an Ireland jersey with the undoubted standout moment coming when she kicked a late conversion to secure a win over world champions New Zealand in Vancouver in September.
Matthew Callinan Keenan took national indoor and outdoor pole vault titles and is a deserving winner of the Athletics award.
Willie Mullins’ status as a horse training legend is already well established but even by his lofty standards, 2024 was a magnificent year. He racked up his 100th Cheltenham Festival winner as part of nine winners in the Cotswolds, including Galopin Des Champs retaining the Gold Cup. He went on to win his first Aintree Grand National since 2005 with I Am Maximus and that set him up to become the first Irish trainer to win the UK Trainers’ title. A truly record breaking year.
Sailing winner Finn Lynch qualified for the Paris Olympic and went on to turn in some superb displays in difficult weather conditions to reach the final and eventually clinch a too 10 place.
Amy Dooley takes the Basketball Award again after firmly establishing herself on the Ireland squad.
Dual All-Ireland winning cyclist Jack Woods takes the Youth Award.
Carlow Nationalist sports editor Ger McNally said the overall winner is always the highlight of the evening.
“What makes the overall award is so special is that the people of Carlow and beyond have their chance to help us pick the winner. Our selection committee also have their say and their vote combined with the public gives us our overall winners.
As well as the individual awards, also on the night there are three Outstanding Award Winners with All-Ireland champions Bennekerry/Tinryland and the U16 Carlow Camogie team recognised, as well as Darragh Foley after he brought the curtain down on a record breaking career.
As always, the night will be rounded off by the Service to Sport and Hall of Fame awards and Paul Lyons and Paticia Amond are once again outstanding candidates.
KCLR’s Brendan Hennessy will MC the event and his time on stage with special guest Davy Russell promises to be hugely entertaining.
“Brendan always does a wonderful job as the host of these awards and I’m sure he’ll knock great craic out of Davy. Tickets are selling well and we are all looking forward to the event now,” said McNally.
For more information on how you can get tickets to join the night, contact Breda at 086-8399110.
