Carlow Sports Star Award winners announced 

The Carlow Nationalist is proud to announce the winners of the this year’s Carlow Sports Star Awards, which he be held at the Dolmen Hotel on Friday 23 January 2026.

“Once again, Carlow sportspeople have made this a very difficult task to narrow down a final list of winners but we think that we have a very strong final list,” said Sports Editor Ger McNally.

“I must thank our selection committee for their efforts throughout the year. Thoughts for these awards begin very early each year and as much as is possible every achievement is discussed and evaluated by our committee,” said McNally.

The event will be hosted on the night as usual by MC Brendan Hennessy and the Carlow Nationalist is delighted to announce that this year’s Special Guest will be GAA and broadcasting legend Pat Spillane.

“These awards have a strong tradition of a high quality special guest and Pat Spillane follows in the recent footsteps of Davy Fitzgerald, Niall Quinn and Davy Russell to join us and help celebrate the best of Carlow Sport,” said McNally.

Another feature of the night is the induction of a star into the Carlow Sport Hall of Fame and this year’s inductee is squash star Willie Hosey, who will travel from Canada to attend on the night.

“Willie’s achievements in the world of squash speak for themselves as a multiple Irish and world champion. He is rightly remembered as one of our country’s great players in his sport and the fact that he is travelling from Canada to attend on the night shows the pride that Carlow sporting legends take in this honour of being inducted into the Carlow Sport Hall of Fame,” said McNally.

The winners list start with four GAA stars who brought so joy to their clubs in particular through 2025.

Mikey Bambrick (GAA Football) followed up a very strong year as captain of the Carlow footballers by helping Old Leighlin lift their first SFC title in 12 years.

Chris Nolan (Hurling) was outstanding throughout the year for Carlow’s hurlers as they preserved their status in Division 1B of the National League before falling agonisingly short of a place in the McDonagh Cup final. He went on to score 1-10 in the county final as Mount Leinster Rangers beat St Mullins to lift another Carlow SHC title.

There were club doubles in both the football and hurling Championships this year and our two ladies winners played a big part in that. Caoimhe O’Neill (Ladies GAA) scored a last minute goal as Old Leighlin dethroned All-Ireland Intermediate champions Bennekerry/Tinryland in dramatic fashion.

The Senior Camogie final was one of the stories of the Carlow sporting year as Myshall’s run of success was finally ended. They went into the final looking for their 26th consecutive Championship title but they came up against an inspired Mount Leinster Rangers side with Ciara Kavanagh (Camogie) continuing her sensational year. Kavanagh and Rangers went on to reach a Leinster semi-final.

Last year’s overall winner Padraig Amond (Men’s Soccer) is a winner after he finished as Premier Division top scorer despite Waterford’s struggles near the foot of the table.

Kylie Murphy (Women’s Soccer) brought the curtain down on one of the National League’s legendary careers in fitting style when she scored a hat-trick in her final game for Wexford FC, this after captaining the team to the All-Island Cup earlier in the season.

The two rugby awards are won by one who shined on the local stage, and another who represented their country at the highest level.

Wes Shirley (Men’s Rugby) had another superb season as Carlow were narrowly relegated from the top of Leinster rugby but made up for that by reaching their first Towns Cup final since 2002.

Dannah O’Brien (Women’s Rugby) was part of the Irish team that pushed France all the way in a thrilling World Cup quarter-final before falling heartbreakingly short.

Patrick Mullins’ (Horse Racing) achievement of winning the Aintree Grand National on Nick Rockett was so magnificent that it brought his father Willie to tears.

Adam Nolan (Athletics) was an indoor and outdoor national champion over the sprint hurdles, while on the water Michael Duke (Rowing) was part of the Ireland team who took gold at the prestigious Home International Regatta at Dorney Lake.

Charlie McHugh (Golf) showed his burgeoning talent when he won the Boys Carlow Scratch Cup.

Con Scully (Cycling) has a tremendous year in a number of events and also finished in the top of half of the Rás Tailteann, while Jason Foley (Show Jumping) has racked up numerous medals as he has represented Ireland all over the world.

There are two Youths award winners. Despite her tender years, Siobhan Sinnott played a key part in Setanta winning a first ever camogie adult title and showed a versatility across a number of other sports.

The other Youth award is shared between two brothers, Alex and Aaron Culleton, who both represented Ireland underage soccer teams.

This year’s Outstanding Achievement Award goes to St Patricks FC who ended their long spell without a Carlow Premier Division title in their 50th anniversary year thanks to the likes of Player of the Year Ravi Kilonda and top scorer Callum Warfield and many, many others.

Jockey Niall McCullagh is picked for a Special Recognition Award for all his years devoted to horse racing. At the age of 56, he won one of Ireland’s most valuable flat races in 2025, the Cesarewitch, and as well as still competing at the top level his dedication and devotion to his sport continues to inspire a whole new generation of jockeys.

There is a new award this year which is to recognise the amazing Willie Mullins and the team at the yard in Closutton. 2025 was another phenomenal year for arguably Ireland’s greatest ever horse trainer. He trained the first three home in the Aintree Grand National, which led to great scenes through the streets of Leighlinbridge for the welcome home, on the way to adding the British Trainer’s title to year another Irish one. His year was already in the realms of fairytale after is son Patrick rode home the Grand National winner but went to a different level when he shocked the racing world by training the winner of the famous Breeders Cup race in America. This award is not only recognise the incredible individual that Willie Mullins is but also to shine a light on the world class operation in Closutton.

The Service To Sport award goes to Rosemary Tully who rose through the ranks and served as an administrator of some repute for the sport of golf through the county, through the province before being elected as the President of Golf Ireland.

As usual, there will be an overall winner announced on the night as the Carlow Sports Person of the Year and there will be a public vote very early in the new year to help pick that, with details to follow.

Tickets for the event, which of course would make a fantastic Christmas present, will be available very shortly and details on how you can purchase them will follow in next week’s edition of the Carlow Nationalist.

“I’m sure you would agree that it is once again a very high quality list of winners that again shows the depth of quality in so many sports that exists within Carlow,” said McNally.

“We are immensely looking forward to the night itself, our sponsors and all our winners always make it one to remember. We will be sharing more information about out winners in the coming weeks and I'm sure it will all lead to a fantastic night,” he added.