Liz O’Sullivan of Athea GAA Club Wins Vhi Healthcare All-Ireland Club Person of the Year Award

Liz O’Sullivan of Athea GAA Club in Limerick has won the Munster and All-Ireland Vhi Healthcare Club Person of the Year Award. O’Sullivan has acted as Secretary to the Athea club since its re-establishment in the late 1980’s. During that time she has been responsible for driving the success of the club and Athea is now one of the most successful clubs in Limerick.

 

O’Sullivan was chosen from among four provincial winners for her outstanding commitment to her club. Geraldine Heverin of the Kilkerrin / Clonberne Club in Galway won the Vhi Healthcare Connacht Club Person of the Year award while Sue Lillis of Clontarf GFC took the Leinster title. Monaghan football star and 2008 All Ireland finalist, Niamh Kindlon, won the Ulster award.

 

The Vhi Healthcare Club Person of the Year Awards is an initiative which recognizes the extraordinary efforts of the unsung heroes of the ladies football club scene. Last year tribeswoman Mary Conlon from the Claregalway club won the inaugural award and due to the popularity of the scheme, provincial awards were introduced in 2008.

 

Speaking at the ceremony, Tony McSweeney, Director of Individual and Corporate Business, Vhi Healthcare, said, “Without people like Liz giving their time so generously on a daily basis the Ladies Football club scene would not be the success it is today. We at Vhi Healthcare are delighted to have the opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of each of the provincial winners who play such an important part in clubs throughout the country.”

 

Geraldine Giles, Uachtaran Peil Gael na mBan, added, “There was a very high number of entries for the award this year and so the decision was taken to add Provincial winners. Liz and the other winners here today are an example to us all and are representative of the unsung heroes from the club scene in Ireland. We are very grateful to Vhi Healthcare to be given the chance to recognise these deserving winners.”

 

Each of the provincial winners received an engraved Tipperary Crystal vase and set of jerseys for their club to commemorate their award while Liz O’Sullivan, the overall winner, was given a €750 holiday voucher and an engraved Louise Kennedy crystal bowl.