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Inishowen stars pick up sports
awards
05.02.09
Ten awards go to
Inishowen athletes, schools and clubs
by Damian Dowds, Inishowen
Independent
INISHOWEN athletes swept the boards at the 2008
Donegal Sports Star awards in the Mount Errigal
Hotel in Letterkenny on Friday night. From boxing to
athletics and equestrian to tug o’ war, ten awards
were won in all with two local schools named as
sports schools of the year. Scoil Naomh Mura in
Tooban won best primary school with Scoil Mhuire,
Buncrana, claiming the secondary school equivalent.
Other winners on the night included Helena Crossan
and Karol Doherty of Inishowen athletics club, Malin
horse rider Ronan McLaughlin, Illies Golden Gloves
boxer William McLaughlin and Scoil Mhuire teacher
David Deeney.
“It’s a great honour for the school and a great
reflection on our children, parents and staff,” said
St Mura’s teacher Manus O’Donnell. “We have a
philosophy of sport for all children no matter what
their ability. Every so often a crop of talented
athletes comes along at the same time and that
allows us to win things, but getting all the
children involved and keeping them interested is the
main thing.”
St Mura’s has a long tradition of sporting
achievement, and indeed last won the school of the
year award back in 1992. |
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“The school has a
strong association with Gaelic games and especially
the Burt GAA club,” O’Donnell continued. “We’ve also
got a great relationship with Aileach FC in soccer.
We’ve been competing in schools athletics for more
than 25 years and have had some great success, while
more than 30 pupils have joined the Samurai Judo
club in Burnfoot since it was formed just last
year.” |
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St Mura’s made it a
double too with sixth class student Georgie Kelly
taking the best primary school boy award. “Georgie’s
a very talented boy,” O’Donnell said. “He has shown
great aptitude not just in team games like hurling,
football and soccer, but also in individual sports
like athletics and handball.”
Following their success at the World Championships
last year, the Clonmany B tug o’ war were honoured
as team of the year, beating off competition from St
Eunan’s footballers, LYIT men’s basketball and the
Finn Valley AC masters team.
“It’s a great honour for the team and the club,”
said club chairman Danny McGonagle. “This is the
first time that tug o’ war has got recognition like
this and a great night was had by everyone that
attended.”
It was back to the pulling mat on Sunday for
Clonmany when they did a charity event to mark the
20th anniversary of the Clonmany Youth Club. “We
donated £1,000 to the youth club back in 1989 when
it was starting up and they’ve never looked back,”
McGonagle said. “The centre and how well its run is
a massive tribute to Kathleen Coady and her
committee.”
Next up for Clonmany club is the UK Championships in
Ballymena on 14 February. “We’re looking forward to
pulling in the open event against the British teams
and there will even be a team from Holland
competing,” McGonagle concluded. |
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