12 February 2007 Patricia Monahan Distinguished Contribution Award Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! Patricia Monahan Distinguished Contribution Award O’Neill’s Dublin Ladies Football Annual Awards 2007 Castleknock Hotel & Country Club Friday 9th February 2007. Patricia Monahan – a native of Edenmore, Raheny, on the north side of Dublin. Youngest of 4 children – (2 boys / 2 girls) Educated: St. Eithne’s National School, Edenmore, Raheny. She received her Post- Primary education at the former Holy Rosary College , Edenmore. She subsequently went on to study Physical Therapy at Inchicore College. Finalist in the then Aer Lingus “Young Scientist of the Year” competition in the R.D.S on the now topical subject of pollution of the envoirnment. Patricia played basketball whilst at school and took up Camogie (the latter she concealed from her Mother ‘Patty’ for a considerable period of time). Patricia acquired her love of Gaelic Games from her late beloved father, Terry Monahan – a gentleman, synonymous with Dublin GAA throughout the decades until his untimely death at the relatively early age of 65. And what a way to go – spirited off to the stadium in the sky whilst supporting the Dubs on the Hill in their Championship encounter against Donegal in 1993. I am sure the glorious moon and floodlights illuminated his vantage point of Croker from afar on Saturday night. Terry would often bring Patricia to Parnell Park, where he held the position of Grounds Supervisor. Patricia would take responsibility for the old scoreboard. John Costello’s predecessor Jim King would give Patricia a few bob for her assistance on the big days. Terry remained a formidable influence on Particia. A founder member of St. Monica’s GAA Club, he went on to serve as Club Secretary and Club Chairman – a position he held at the time of his passing. The highlight of Patricia’s Gaelic career was scoring the winning goal for her Club, St. Monica’s in the 1989 Co. Championship Final in O’Toole Park in 1989. Playing alongside household names like Julie Kavanagh, a talisman for Dublin Ladies Football in the early days. In 1995, she was appointed Secretary of her Club St. Monica’s – a position she held for 3 years. Particia is currently Juvenile Club Secretary and Club Registrar. All troughout, Patricia has had her feet firmly planted to the ground as U-11 Ladies Football Manager , co-ordinating Saturday morning activity at the Nursery. In the early days, Patricia served as Assistant Co. Secretary to the Dublin Co. Board when the Helen O’Rourke, C.E.O of our Association held the position of Dublin Co. Board Chairperson. Patricia was a key member of the Dublin Junior Ladies Management Team alongside Pat Lynch, Sean Walsh and Bernice Jones-Moore. I have fond recollections of her preparing the Dublin team for their 2003 Leinster Final against Wexford in Dr. Cullen Park in Carlow. Patricia had a profound influence on her colleagues who served on the Executive Committee of Dublin Ladies Football. I have had the privilege of working alongside Patricia on and off throughout the past decade. A truly dedicated and inspiring influence at all times. Particia earned the enviable reputation of fairness in all her dealings. Her qualities of directness, honesty and most of all integrity have been the hallmarks of her association with Dublin Ladies Football. Always willing to oblige when called upon for advice. It is not surprising, therefore, when it came to assigning the task of a full review of the Dublin Bye-Laws, I looked no further than a Sub-Committee, headed by none other than Patricia. Patricia moved from her involvement with the Dublin Ladies Co. Board to a short-term contract with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association at Headquarters in Croke Park before taking up a part-time administrative appointment in Áras Átha Cliath, Pairc Parnell. Patricia now holds a full-time appointment with G.A.C Administration in Parnell Park, working closely with James Foran & Danny O’Connor. Tomorrow, her uncle, Gerry flies in from New York to perform the annual presentation of the ‘Terry Monahan Memorial Cup’ to the ‘St. Monica’s Club Person of the Year’. Gerry is actively involved in Gaelic Park in New York. With a background pedigree of this nature, our selection committee had no hesitation whatever in selecting Patricia Monahan as the worthy recipient of the 2007 O’Neill’s Dublin Ladies Football ‘Distinguished Contribution Award’ Share this Article 0 0