The 22nd annual Coiste Siamsa St. Raphael’s Garda Credit Union Garda Sportstar Awards will be held at The Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel Killiney, Co, Dublin, on Friday 20th November 2015.
The awards are presented to Garda members who have achieved success in their chosen sports, locally, nationally and internationally. This year’s selection committee was chaired by former Munster and Ireland rugby player Alan Quinlan.
This year’s winners are:
Rugby - Niamh Briggs
Niamh was a member of the Ireland Women’s Rugby team which captured an historic first ever Grand Slam in 2013. She was a key member of Ireland’s World Cup squad which achieved an historic victory against New Zealand in the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup. In 2015 she captained Ireland to the 6 Nations Title, winning her 50th cap and scoring two tries in the last game against Scotland. In 2015 she also captained Munster to an Interprovincial Title. Niamh is a native of Co. Waterford and is a Garda Stationed at Roxboro Road Garda Station in Limerick.
Canoeing/Kayaking - Peter Egan
Peter is national champion K2 200m, and also national champion marathon K2 for the 9th year in a row. He came second in the 200m K2 British Championships, second place in the K1 national marathon, and third in the K1 200m national championships. He was a semi-finalist in the K2 200m at the European Championships in Baku. Peter, from Lucan, is a seven time winner of the Garda Sportstar Award and is stationed at Tallaght Garda Station in Dublin.
Cycling - Eve McCrystal
Eve was a member of the Garda Cycling team which recently took part in Ras Na mBan in 2015 and finished as the top Irish team in the event. Eve was awarded the best Irish Rider award and wore the green jersey from day 1 to day 5. In April she won the Nenagh Classic and Wallers Cup road races and in June she took silver at the National Time Trails. As pilot her team won bronze at the World Para Cycling Track Championships in Amsterdam and came in 4th in the World Road Championships. Eve is a Garda stationed at Ballybay Garda Station.
Gaelic Football – Colm Boyle
Colm is one of the most outstanding and consistent players on the Mayo senior football panel. In 2015 he won his fourth Connacht medal. He has twice been selected as a GAA All-Star. Colm has also guided his club Davitts to county and provincial success. He is a Garda Stationed at Clifden in Co. Galway.
Hurling - Conor O’Brien
A current member of the Tipperary Senior hurling team, the Eire Og Annacarty man is the holder of one All-Ireland medal and one National League title. He has won four Munster Titles as well as Munster medals at Minor and Under 21. Conor is a Garda stationed at Mayorstone Park Garda Station in Limerick.
Rowing- Damien Kelly & Ronan Allen
Damien and Ronan had a brilliant year in 2015 which culminated in them winning the Men’s Intermediate Double Sculls National Title in July making them the first Garda team to win a national title since 2008. There followed two great wins in Men’s Doubles at the Dublin Metropolitan Regatta in May and at the Athlone Regatta in June. Damian is a Garda Sergeant stationed at Donnybrook and Ronan is a Garda attached to Dundrum Garda Station.
Boxing – Adam Nolan
Adam is a member of the Irish Elite Boxing Squad. He was National welterweight boxing champion for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, and boxes for Bray BC. He represented Ireland at the London Olympics in 2012. In October this year he represented Ireland at the World Elite Boxing Championships in Doha. Adam is a Garda stationed at Bray Station and is a native of Co. Wexford.
Athletics – David Mansfield
David has had some considerable achievements considering he took up running only three years ago. In the last year since Oct 2014 he has broken the record in the Garda 10 mile Championship (twice); the Garda Half Marathon (twice) and the Garda 4 Mile Championship. He has won the Tralee Half Marathon and come second in the Dublin Half marathon. He has completed four half marathons in under 71 minutes, including one sub 70 effort. This year he was also the 3rd fastest Irishman in the National Marathon Championships with a time on 2.30.47 (5.46 min per mile average). David is a Garda stationed at Dungarvan.
Social & Cultural Award – Michael McDonagh
Michael has been Chairman of Clare County Board from 2003 to 2007 and from 2012 to date. Under his chairmanship Clare have won one Senior and two U21 All-Ireland hurling titles. He has also overseen the development of a €5.2 million county GAA centre of excellence with pitches, changing facilities, gym and banqueting facilities and is responsible for the development of the Michael Cusack Museum at Carron, Co. Clare. Michael is a retired Detective Garda.
Administration of Sport – George Kyne
George was instrumental in founding Westmanstown Gaels GAA club ten years ago. The vision to set up a juvenile club, and the promotion of Gaelic Games in Westmanstown was a valuable asset to the local community. It allowed children and parents to avail of the top quality facilities in Westmanstown and has had the added effect of enhancing the Garda GAA Club which was in serious decline. George is a Detective Superintendent attached to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
Hall of Fame – Jim Muldoon
A native of Galway, Jim Muldoon joined the Garda Boat Club in 1967. In his first year he was elevated to junior level and played an important part in the Garda Crew that won the Irish Junior VIII Championship. Success soon followed at Senior level in 1968. This was the first of seven occasions spanning three decades, in which Jim won an Irish Senior VIII title with the Garda Boat Club (1968, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1982 and 1983).
In 1975 Jim played a pivotal role in the Garda VIII that won Gold at Ghent, Belgium, in the process they broke the course record which had been held by Russia for the preceding twenty years. Success continued in 1975 with a win in the Thames Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, the first win for an Irish crew at this world renowned event since 1908. Ireland's first for a number of years but not Jim's last. He returned in a Garda Coxed IV in 1977 and brought home a Prince Philip Cup Medal.
His achievements in an 'Irish Shirt' are equally impressive. In 1975 and 1977 he was a member of an all-Garda Irish Coxed IV Crew that finished in seventh place at the World Championships. In 1978, he coached the all-Garda Irish pair of Christy O’Brien and Willie Ryan who finished in fifth place at the World Championships in New Zealand. This was Ireland's best performance in an open event at a World Rowing Championship to date.
In 1976 Jim represented Ireland with distinction at the Montreal Olympic Games. The all-Garda Irish IV won the Petite Final and finished in an incredible seventh place. In 1980 Jim coached the Irish Coxed Pair which competed at the Olympic Games in Moscow.
Jim has also achieved individual success in the single scull event. He first won the prestigious Dublin Sculling Ladder in 1968 and retained the title on six separate occasions, with the last occasion in 1986 being some eighteen years after his first win.
