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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.
May winner
(Ryan Carson pictured being presented with the Quinn Insurance/UGAAWA Merit Award for May, for his performance against Down in the Ulster Senior Championship, by Declan Reilly, Quinn Group Commercial Sales Manager. Also in the picture is Sean McMahon, UGAAWA and Deirdre Donnelly, Press Officer Fermanagh County Board.)
When championship time arrives there is always a surplus of talent to chose our Monthly Merit award winner from as counties and clubs rev up for the big occasion. May 2009 was no exception with football and hurling on the menu but when we sat down to debate the issue the name of Ryan Carson figured prominently.
The Newtownbutler clubman re-appeared on the county scene earlier this season after an absence of around five years and made his senior championship debut against Down, at Brewster Park, last month.
“That was the first time I played full-forward since my under-21 days,” recalled Ryan (26).
It was quite a return for the towering 6’2”, 14 stone attacker as he lofted over six points – five frees - against favourites Down, as Fermanagh knocked the Mourne men out of the Ulster race. Not only that but his general play had the Down defence in trouble.
For that performance, Ryan wins our Quinn Insurance/UGAAWA Merit Award for May. “I’m really chuffed and I can’t believe I have won the award,” enthused Ryan when told of his selection for the honour. “I never thought that I would be in the ruinning for anything like that.”
His award includes a Quinn Insurance-sponsored sports voucher, an engraved Belleek China vase, specially designed silver cuff lnks from Omeath jeweller Gareth Mallon and training gear from O’Neill’s International Sports. He will also receive two tickets and overnight accommodation for our annual banquet, on November 20, in the Slieve Russell Hotel.
The electrical power linesman, who is based outside London, received his award from Declan Reilly, Quinn Group Commercial Sales Manager for Ireland, at a reception in Mulligan’s BarNewtownbutler, on Tuesday, June 9.
