The 25th Annual Coiste Siamsa Garda Sportstar Awards will be held at Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar, on Friday 30th November 2018.
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 RTE’s Marty Morrissey and this year’s winners are:
David Mansfield – Athletics
In April of this year David set a new Garda Marathon Record of 2:24:57 at the Rotterdam Marathon. He was the second placed Irish athlete and finished in 27th overall. The record had stood for 25 years. He was placed 2nd in the National Half Marathon in August and 3rd in the AAI National 5000 metres. To cap it off, in October he won the USPE European Police Championship Marathon, run as part of the Dublin Marathon, in a time of 2.20.15, another Garda record. David is a Garda and works in the Garda College in Templemore.
Eve Mc Crystal – Cycling
Another fantastic year for Eve who remains a loyal member of the Garda Cycling Club. She was the winner of two gold medals in the Para-cycling World championships (Road race & Time Trial). Bronze medal winner in the 3km World Track Cycling Championship in Rio. Winner of the National Road Race title- a first for a Garda CC member- and 3rd place in the National Time Trial. This is her 5th Coiste Siamsa award. Eve is a Garda stationed at Ballybay, Co. Monaghan Garda Station and is a native of Co. Louth.
Clodagh Kiernan – Swimming
In August 2018 Clodagh won the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Swim, one of the major events in the Open Water calendar. The race is a 2,200m swim around the circumference of the harbour and attracted over 100 competitors. Clodagh is a member of the Garda Swimming and Lifesaving Club. She is a Detective Garda attached to Garda Headquarters.
Colin Murray – Basketball
Colin was awarded the 2017/2018 College Basketball Player of the year, having guided and captained the Garda College to the All-Ireland final and leagues promotion, averaging 27 points per game. In January 2018 he won the Presidents Cup with Ballincollig Basketball Club. Colin is a Garda attached to Dungarvan Garda Station in Co. Waterford.
Leanne McCarthy – Triathlon
In 2018 Leanne was awarded a Bronze Ironman All World Athlete award for finishing the top 10% overall in 2017. She is currently ranked 3rd overall for Ironman 70.3 events and completed the Ironman Barcelona in a time of 12:28Hrs. This year she finished in the top ten in her age group and 20th overall in the Triathlon Ireland National Series. Leanne was the winner of the Garda Triathlon Title in 2018. She is a Garda attached to Newcastle West Garda Station in Co. Limerick.
Ken McDonald – Rowing
In July of 2018 Ken won two Gold medals at the European Masters Rowing Championships in Munich. He also holds the Irish record for the 500m on the concept rowing machine. Ken is a Garda attached the Garda College in Templemore.
Team of the Year:
Garda Fly Fishing Team– Winners of back to back 5 Nations International Fly Fishing Titles.
In September 2017 the Garda Fly Fishing team won the Five Nations Fly Fishing Championship on Lough Erne in Co. Fermanagh. The event was hosted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This was only the second time the Garda team had won the event. Earlier this year the team made it two in a row by winning the event on home ground on Lough Corrib.
Garda Soccer Team– Third place at the 2018 USPE European Police Soccer Championships
Ireland qualified for the European Police Championships by beating Norway. In the group stages they beat Slovakia 5-2 and drew their next two games with Bulgaria (2-2) and the Czech Republic (0-0). In the semi-final where they played the eventual Championship winners Germany and were unlucky to lose 2-1. Ireland played the Netherlands in the third place play off and won the game 6-1. Ireland’s Mark Sherlock won the golden boot award, scoring 7 goals in the competition.
Special Contribution Award: Brian Willoughby
Brian has made a significant contribution to sport in An Garda Síochána. He has been a GAA representative at National level for many years. He has coordinated national Garda Gaelic Football competitions and is the driving force behind the annual Garda Vs Defence Forces challenge games. In June of this year Brian and co-author Noel Hynes published ‘Guardians of the GAA’- a history of the Garda organisation’s involvement with Gaelic games. The book is a celebration of the organisation at its best- engaging with the community and producing role models and heroes.
Hall of Fame: Mick Ryan – Rowing
A native of Co. Clare, Mick first represented the Garda Boat Club in 1970 and the following year won the Maiden Championship. In 1975 he was part of a crew that were unbeaten in Irish waters and won the first Senior VIII Championship title for the Garda Boat Club. He was part of the team which won the title in ’77 and ’78. In 1975 he was part of an all Garda coxed IV which came 7th in the World Championships. In 1976 Mick and the rest of the all Garda crew represented Ireland at the Montreal Olympics where they won the Petite Final and finished 7th overall. Mick was a detective Garda attached to the Special Detective Unit and is now retired.
