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Ulster GAA Writers Awards 2009
The Ulster GAA Writers’ Association was formed in May 1988 with the purpose of increasing public interest in Gaelic Games within Ulster.
All members of the Association are full-time working journalists dealing with GAA matters at local or national level.
The QUINN-Insurance/UGAAWA Monthly Merit Award is made to persons within the GAA whom the Association feel have done something special during the month. This award can go to anyone within the GAA – football (male & female), hurling, camogie, handball, Scor, etc.
The Ulster GAA Writers’ Association meets monthly and various items are discussed and the Monthly Merit Award winner is chosen. The award carries a prize of a Sports Voucher, a specially designed and engraved Belleek China Vase and other gifts. The awards are presented at a monthly function.
Annual awards are presented at the Annual Banquet and are not disclosed until the moment of presentation.
A feature of the banquet is The Ballot of Prizes, with up to ten sponsored prizes, raising thousands of pounds annually and the money collected goes to a nominated charity every year - GOAL, St Vincent de Paul, the Omagh Disaster Fund, the Quinn Family Appeal, The Children's Hospice Appeal and The Leukaemia Research Fund have all benefited in the past.
2009 Annual Banquet
(Members of the Record winning Ulster Football team and management, with Ulster Council members, who were guests at the UGAAWA Banquet in the Slieve Russell Hotel. Picture © Jim Dunne.)
Flooded roads, many of them closed, throughout Ulster at the weekend didn't deter almost 500 people from attending the Ulster GAA Writers' annual banquet, at the Slieve Russell Hotel where the yearly honours were distributed.
Among the attendance were various personalities from sponsors Quinn Insurance, including the boss man himself, Sean Quinn, GAA Ard Stiúrthóir Paraic Duffy, Ulster President Tom Daly plus secretary Danny Murphy, Treasurer Martin McAviney and PRO Michael Hasson. In attendance, too, was John Maguire, MD of Belleek Pottery, suppliers of the annual and monthly trophies.
Other special guests were World handball champions from Ulster and members of the Ulster Football team and their mentors, the recent winners of a record 29th MD Donnelly Interprovincial Championship title.
The Personality of the Year award went to Derryman, Liam Bradley, the manager of the Antrim football team that created a surprise in Ulster football this year while creating a record was Pat McEneaney. The Monaghan whistler received the Referee of the Year Award for a fifth time. World Open champion Paul Brady collected the Handball Award and Fiona Shannon, who like Brady won a record third World Open title, was presented with Chairman Jerry Quinn's Award.
Awards were presented in 11 categories covering all aspects of the GAA while Ulster President Tom Daly handed over the interpro medals to the Ulster players and management.
Tom Daly also received a present from Chairman Jerry Quinn on behalf of the UGAAWA members - a painting of Rossnowlagh Beach by Fermanagh artist Jo Tinney - to mark the end of his term in office. Tom will hand over the reins to a new Ulster President in February.
By Tony McGee
