2019 Marsh Gymnastics Ireland National Awards - Winners Announced!

Irish Sport HQ, Dublin: Gymnastics Ireland is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 National Awards in partnership with Marsh Ireland, an event designed to reward all those stand out performers and contributors to the sport of gymnastics throughout 2019. The Awards Panel consisted of Ciaran Gallagher, CEO Gymnastics Ireland; Andrew Coulter, Gymnastics Ireland Board Member and Mary O'Connor, CEO Federation of Irish Sport and this year will see 20 clubs from around the country represented between club and individual winners.

Awards open for nomination by membership

After receiving huge interest in online entries from the Gymnastics Ireland membership the 6 open nomination award winners are as follows…

• Coach of the Year – Club
  • Olly Rees – Douglas GC
• Unsung Hero
  • Deborah Unkel - Coolmine GC, Ruth Larragy - Excel GC & Faye King - Finesse GC
• Non-Competitive Club
  • Limerick GC
• Display Club
  • Finesse GC & Gymstars Dublin GC
• Inclusive Club of the Year
  • Cork Acro GC
• Club Innovation
  • Aerials GC & Sugarloaf GC

Awards made by direct appointment

The following category winners were selected directly by the awards panel following recommendations by GI management based on consideration of key results/achievements throughout the year...

• Competitive Club of the Year
  • Renmore Gymnastics Club
• Gymnast of the Year
  • Rhys McClenaghan (NGTC Centralised)
• Rising Star
  • Jane Heffernan (Renmore GC)
• Coach of the Year - International
  • Sally Batley (Renmore GC)
• Young Coach of the Year – National
  • Sam Johnston (Muckross GC)
• Club Governance Award
  • Douglas GC
• Safe Club of the Year
  • Eccles GC
• Club Social & Digital Content Award
  • Ballincollig GC

Special Recognition Awards

Gymnastics Ireland wishes to acknowledge the individuals/members involved in our sport who throughout the year made a special contribution and had a major impact on the development of gymnastics in Ireland with a ‘Special Recognition Award’ as follows…

• Special Recognition
  • Achieving final in Ireland's Got Talent
    • Ballincollig GC/Rebel Acro
  • Gymnasts
    • Meg Ryan (Douglas GC) - World Cup Medallist
  • High Performance/Athlete Support
    • Matthew O'Connor
    • Paul Carragher - Sport Ireland Institute Physio
  • GymABLE
    • Terri Doyle - Wexford GC
  • Events Support - members who have given significant support as volunteers to the National Events programme
    • Rachel Brennan (Old Bawn GC)
    • Caomhan O'Muirithe (Excel GC)
    • Valentina Culicova (Olympia GC)
    • Chloe O'Toole (Carragaline GC)
    • Colm Murray (DP GC)
    • Colm Galligan (Supersonic GC)
    • Dwayne McCaffery (UCD GC)
  • Outgoing Board members who were crucial in the governance restructure and strategic development of GI over the past number of Olympic cycles
    • Marisa Duffy (DP GC)
    • Natasha Preston (Excel GC)
    • Tom Dillon (Phoenix GC)
    • Rob Fuller (Renmore GC)
  • Outgoing Chair - Led the governance restructure and strategic development of GI from 2006/7 through to 2019 and is stepping down as Chair of a Sports Industry award winning organisation and one of the largest Olympic sports in the country
    • Gerard Rellis

Congratulations to all our awards winners!

Gymnastics Ireland looks forward to welcoming all our winners to the 2019 Marsh Gymnastics Ireland National Awards on Saturday 19th October at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Golden Lane in Dublin.

Further details and information on the National Awards including ticket sales will be announced in the coming days.

For more gymnastics news like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat & LinkedIn @GymnasticsIRE #NationalAwards #GymasticsIreland #Sportstartshere