Loughnane's achievement crowned a glorious year

IRISH TIMES/IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL SPORTSWOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS:IN HIS introduction speech to the 2009 Sportswoman of the Year awards, John Treacy spoke of the "good match" between joint sponsors The Irish Timesand The Irish Sports Council. It was a valid point – as the Sports Council does so much work for the development of women's sport, while The Irish Timesendeavours to give it the media coverage it deserves.

Treacy, the CEO of the Sports Council, was among several distinguished sporting names at yesterday’s lunch banquet in Dublin.

The Irish Times

was represented by newspaper editor Geraldine Kennedy, and also sports editor Malachy Logan – who spoke of the special place the awards now hold in the Irish sporting calendar.

“This is a celebration of women’s sport,” said Logan, “the gifted individuals who are every bit as talented and committed as their male counterparts. They are also increasingly recognised at home and abroad as wonderful role models and ambassadors for their sports. They have thrilled and delighted us beyond reasonable expectation in the past 12 months, and deserve every accolade they receive.

“Every year these awards grow in stature. This can only happen because our best and brightest sportswomen keep on raising the bar, and they are helped in no small way by the Irish Sports Council, who are our partners in sponsoring these awards.”

That was no exaggeration, as 2009 was a truly extraordinary year for Irish women’s sport, reflected in the fact that the usual 12 monthly awards was expanded to 15, given there were three joint-winners, such was the windfall of success.

This began in March when Nina Carberry triumphed at Cheltenham once again and Derval O’Rourke, the 2006 Sportswoman of the Year, won bronze at the European Indoor Championships.

In July it was double time again when two of the brightest prospects in Irish sport, runner Ciara Mageean and swimmer Gráinne Murphy, confirmed their potential with outstanding performances; and in September when Madeline Perry, the only woman to win a monthly award every year since the awards began in 2004, produced the finest performance of her professional squash career en route to the final of the British Open, her sport’s most prestigious event, along with Mary O’Connor, the Cork woman who took her tally of All-Ireland medals to 12 when she completed another Gaelic football and camogie double with her county in September, captaining the footballers to a five-in-a-row.

There was a genuinely hushed silence of expectation before the overall winner was announced, but in the end there was simply no arguing with the silver medal won by Olive Loughnane in the 20km walk at the World Championships in Berlin.

These kind of medals don’t come around very often, and in fact it was only the fifth medal Ireland has ever won since Eamonn Coghlan first struck gold over 5,000 metres at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki in 1983.

Coghlan was also present yesterday, with practically the entire range of sports represented in some way, including Brian Kerr and Noel King from soccer, Brian Mullins from Gaelic football, Lisa Clancy, communications director with the GAA, Liam Hennessy, the president of Athletics Ireland, and John Foley, CEO of Athletics Ireland, and Mary Davis of the Special Olympics.

There was one further special moment in the end when the Downey twin sisters from Kilkenny, Ann and Angela, were announced as the second winners of the lifetime achievement award, following the inaugural recipient last year, Olympic gold medallist Mary Peters.

All those present were moved to hear the success in camogie of the Downey twins, who between them have won an incredible 24 All-Ireland medals.

Ann was renowned for her midfield and defence skills, and Angela for her forward play, but their talents didn’t end there.

Ann was equally deft with both the hockey stick and squash racket, and both sisters remain quite a force on the golf course.

Inevitably, yesterday some of the monthly winners were either away training or else travelling to or from competition.

Included in that category were the teenage Maguire golfing twins, Leona and Lisa, who won the April and May awards; Leona for becoming the youngest ever winner of the Scottish Open Amateur Championship at Troon, having already triumphed at the French International under-21 Amateur Championship; and Lisa for succeeding her sister as Irish Close champion.

“On behalf of everyone here I would like to thank the sportswomen of the country for providing the nation with so many happy memories from 2009,” added Logan.

“In a dismal year on so many fronts, the achievements of our sporting stars are a reminder of how much their performances can help lift the national mood and provide a much-needed fillip in difficult times.”

2009 Monthly Winners

January

Jessica Kurten (Equestrian)

February

Mary Cullen (Athletics)

March

Nina Carberry (Horse racing) and Derval O’Rourke (Athletics)

April

Leona Maguire (Golf)

May

Lisa Maguire (Golf)

June

Katie Taylor (Boxing)

July

Ciara Mageean(Athletics) and Gráinne Murphy (Swimming)

August

Olive Loughnane (Athletics)

September

Madeline Perry (Squash) and Mary O’Connor (Camogie and Gaelic football)

October

Yvonne Tracy (Soccer)

November

Emma Smyth (Hockey)

December

Annalise Murphy (Sailing)