After an extraordinary year for women in sports, the annual Her Sport Awards, presented by Lidl Ireland, once again took centre stage, celebrating Ireland's top female athletes, their inspiring achievements and the dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all possible.
The evening featured an inspiring panel discussion, themed 'Breaking Barriers', sponsored by adidas, with insights from Irish Rugby star Béibhinn Parsons, Head of Women’s Strategy at Irish Rugby, Lynne Cantwell and Tyrone GAA Star and Women’s Sports Advocate Conor Meyler. The panelists shared their perspectives and experiences on overcoming challenges and driving progress in women’s sport in Ireland.
On the night, awards were presented to Ireland’s brightest stars across six categories:
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Personality of the Year, sponsored by AYA
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Young Athlete of the Year, sponsored by BPerfect Cosmetics
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Team of the Year, sponsored by Linwoods Health Foods
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Athlete of the Year, sponsored by Gym Plus Ireland
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Hall of Fame, presented by Lidl Ireland
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Community Award, sponsored by Energia
Eimear Considine claimed the title of Her Sport Personality of the Year, sponsored by Aya Supplements, after making an inspiring return to rugby following a two-year break, post maternity leave and an ACL injury. Her triumphant comeback, featuring a stellar performance for Ireland in the WXV1 tournament, highlighted her resilience and dedication. “I want to show that having a baby doesn’t mean you can’t pursue your sporting dreams,” said Considine.
Róisín Ní Riain has been honoured with the Her Sport Young Athlete of the Year Award, sponsored by BPerfect Cosmetics. At just 19 years old, Róisín has already achieved remarkable success in her athletic career. She shone brightly at the recent Paralympic Games in Paris, earning Ireland’s only swimming medals: a silver in the 100m backstroke and a bronze in the 200m Individual Medley.
Beyond this, the Ireland Para Cycling Team have been named Her Sport Team of the Year, sponsored by Linwoods Health Foods. The team, consisting of Josephine Healion, Linda Kelly, Eve McCrystal, and Katie-George Dunlevy, had an extraordinary year. Their dominance was on full display at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, where they brought home a gold medal and two silvers. In addition, Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal added to the team’s accolades with a bronze medal in the World Championship Road Race in September. “We’re absolutely delighted. Para sport doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves, so this award means a lot,” said Katie-George Dunlevy
Kellie Harrington is the 2024 Her Sport Athlete of the Year, sponsored by Gym Plus Ireland. With gold medals at back-to-back Olympic Games, she has solidified her place as one of the nation’s greatest athletes. This past year, the entire country rallied behind her as she competed at the Olympic Games, culminating in a thrilling victory against Yang Wenlu in the finals to claim yet another gold medal. Accepting the award on Kellie’s behalf, Team Ireland boxing Head Coach Zauri Antia emphasized the dedication, talent and skill required to achieve such success.
Adding to the night’s honours, Rena Buckley was inducted into the Her Sport Hall of Fame, presented by Lidl Ireland. With an astonishing 11 All-Star accolades and 18 All-Ireland medals across football and camogie, Rena’s influence on Irish sport is unparalleled. She remains the only player to captain Cork to victory in both All-Ireland Championships.
Finally, Heather Jameson, captain of the Irish Cerebral Palsy Football Team, was recognised with the Community Award, sponsored by Energia, for her outstanding leadership and contributions to the team’s success. Heather played a pivotal role in securing a bronze medal at the 2024 World Cup, scoring twice in their emphatic 6-1 win over Japan.
The Her Sport Awards presented by Lidl, which is one of the biggest celebrations of women's sport in Ireland, would not be possible without the support of our partners. A heartfelt thank you to our title partner Lidl Ireland as well as category partners Energia, AYA, Gym Plus, BPerfect Cosmetics, Linwoods Health Foods, and adidas. We are also incredibly grateful to our Key Supporters: Sport Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán. Their unwavering belief in the power of sport and equality drives this movement forward.
Fans across the country will be able to relive the unforgettable moments when the awards ceremony airs on TG4 on Saturday, 8th February at 5:15 PM.
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