Nov 16,2024
Armagh's Niall Grimley, Clare's John Conlon, Kerry's Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Cork's Hannah Looney have scooped Personality of the Year awards in their respective codes at the Gaelic Writers' Association annual awards ceremony in Dublin.
Grimley and his family suffered an unimaginable tragedy just over a year ago when his brother Patrick, his sister in law Ciera and close friend Ciara McElvanna were killed in a car accident.
Character comes in many forms, and the Armagh man showed his in abundance to overcome an awful loss and a broken neck in 2022 to lift Sam Maguire this summer.
Clare’s John Conlon has been a driving force for the county and, at 35, was a key player as he helped the Banner land a first All-Ireland SHC title since 2013.
Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh was the scorer-in-chief for Kerry as they showed huge resilience to put back to back All-Ireland football final defeats behind them and land a first national senior title since 1993.
Cork’s Hannah Looney is that rare gem in modern day Gaelic games, a proper inter-county dual star competing at the highest level in both codes. She holds six All-Ireland camogie titles and one in football.
Staged at the Iveagh Garden Hotel in the city centre, journalist Sean McGoldrick was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award and Munster GAA's Dermot Weeshie Lynch was named PRO of the Year.
David Hickey (Dublin), Tom Dempsey (Wexford), Kitty Ryan Savage (Tipperary) and Ciara Gaynor (Tipperary) were inducted into the GWA Hall of Fame.
Hickey won three All-Irelands for the transformative Dublin football side of the 1970s and also played semi-professional rugby in France.
He was later a selector and team doctor for the Dublin team and has campaigned on a range of issues, including Palestine, where he is involved with 'Gaels Against Genocide'.
Tom Dempsey was a star hurler on the Wexford side, which landed the 1996 All-Ireland title, a first since 1968.
Kitty Ryan Savage was the skipper of the first side to win the All-Ireland ladies title and the Brendan Martin Cup back in 1974, and her induction marks 50 years since that historic occasion.
Ciara Gaynor is a five-time All-Ireland winner in camogie with Tipperary. A daughter of another Premier legend and 2021 GWA Hall of Fame inductee, Len, in recent years she has again demonstrated her incredible drive by competing in ironman contests at the triathlon world championships.
The full list of winners from the Gaelic Writers’ Association (GWA) Awards are as follows:
Football Personality of the Year – Niall Grimley (Armagh)
Ladies Football Personality of the Year – Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh
Hurling Personality of the Year – John Conlon (Clare)
Camogie Personality of the Year – Hannah Looney (Cork)
Football Hall of Fame – David Hickey (Dublin)
Ladies Football Hall of Fame – Kitty Ryan Savage (Tipperary)
Hurling Hall of Fame – Tom Dempsey (Wexford)
Camogie Hall of Fame – Ciara Gaynor (Tipperary)
PRO of the Year – Dermot 'Weeshie' Lynch (Kerry and Munster)
Lifetime Achievement Award – Sean McGoldrick
