Donegal Sports Star Award nominations launched in Letterkenny

THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH of the 2015 Donegal Sports Star Awards nominations took place yesterday evening in the Mount Errigal Hotel supported by the presence of a number of past winners and representatives from sponsors Donegal County Council.

The special guest for the formal launch was the first woman to win the Overall Award Danea Herron for successes in athletics with the Finn Valley Club in 1985.

Photo caption: Chairman of the Donegal Sports Star Awards Committee Neil Martin,  Danea Herron, who was overall winner in 1985, and Charlie Collins of Donegal Sport Hub

In the year that the Donegal Sports Star Awards celebrates its 40th anniversary the organisations’s Chairperson Neil Martin stressed the absolute importance of nominating the names of teams and individuals that have excelled at county, provincial, national and international level during the year.

Other past winners present included Finn Harps legend Jim Sheridan (1978 soccer), Donegal double Olympian Danny McDaid who took the athletics award three out of the first four years of the awards including taking the Overall Award in 1979.

Also present for the nominations launch were Billy McConnell, Raphoe (1976 hockey), Paddy Gallagher, Letterkenny (1985 rugby), Peter O’Donnell, Raphoe (boxing appreciation 2012). Margaret Cullen wife of the late Neil Cullen who sadly passed away last December was also present. Neil was the winner of an Appreciation Award for his services to juvenile athletics in 2007.

Exclusive sponsors Donegal County Council were represented at the launch by the Cathaoirleach Councillor Ciaran Brogan and the Local Authority’s Chief Executive Mr Seamus Neely.  The nomination deadline is Friday, November 27th. As the committee will be selecting the ‘Hall of Fame’ winner no nominations are being sought in this category.

A brief summary only of the relevant sporting achievements will suffice. Pictorial and DVD footage is also required. Nominations can be done online from the nominations page and emailed to info@donegalsportsstarawards.ie or by completing a simple nomination form, which can be downloaded and posted to Paul McDaid, Post Office, Ramelton. Those not using on-line can simply post their nominations to Paul McDaid, Post Office, Ramelton.

Please note that only successes in 2015 are eligible for consideration when deciding on winners in the various categories. The only exception to this rule is the primary and second schools sections. Here it is sporting achievements during the academic year 2014/2015 which will be judged.

For further information on the Donegal Sports Star Awards go to the website donegalsportsstarawards.ie, twitter at @DonegalSportsStars or on Facebook at Donegalsports Starawards.