London GAA Value Our Volunteers 2023

Ahead of the McAleer & Rushe Senior Football Championship Final, the London GAA Value Our Volunteers recipients were presented with their award.

Each club nominated a member who was deserving for their efforts in their club. Thank you to Tadhg Lee and Irene Sheridan for leading this initiative.

Cu Chulainns

Eddie Naughton

Our club chairperson Eddie has been instrumental in keeping Cu Chulainns going for another year. As well as chairperson, he also acts as one of our club referees but still makes time to come to our matches. On a few occasions this season he has even stepped in and played for us. A true gentleman.

St. Gabriel's

Mick Nevin

Mick has been ever present for St. Gabriel's since he arrived in London from Galway in the mid 1970s. First as a player and then as an active club member, he has always done what he can to further the cause as stated in the St. Gabriel's club motto - promoting the game of hurling. To this day he is still very involved with the club, currently serving as club president and county board delegate. He attends hurling training every night, arranging sandwiches, making tea and always up for a laugh. Mick very much is the driving spirit making St. Gabriel's the club it is today.

GranuaileLiz Lewis (collected by Marie McConnon)

Liz's dedication to our club's compliance with all safeguarding requirements and best practice in the operations of the GAA allows our club to concentrate on the advancement of our players. In addition to her role as children's officer, Liz is also a dedicated coach. As a committee member, Liz contributes to all matters relating to Granuaile Hurling Club and we are proud to nominate her as Value Our Volunteer award.

Sean Treacys

Ger Quilligan

Long standing player and committee member. Responsible for recruitment. We rely heavily on him on all aspects of the club.

Thomas McCurtains

Darren Kelly (collected by Johnny Dwyer)

Darren has been involved in the club for the last eight years. In that time, he has been an exemplary volunteer. He is heavily involved in the underage hurling within the club having started as a coach in 2016 and now is a key coach with our u13, u15 and u17 teams. He also is involved with the recent successful u15 London county teams. Darren also acts as the club's Children's Officer for the last number of years and gives up countless hours to ensure that everything within the club is compliant in this regard. He was also a key contributor to the documentation of our 100-year Club History and the writing of our History Book for our Centenary between 2018 and 2020.

Fr. Murphy's

Phil Roche (collected by Tony Carroll)

Phil is a stalwart of the Club whose commitment and dedication is second to none. Phil is a true GAA man who is always on hand to assist with anything that's needed, from picking up and dropping lads to training and matches to attending the monthly county board meetings on behalf of the club as our delegate - nothing is too much trouble. Phil attends almost every training session and assists the management team with setting up drills for training and the pre-match warm-up on matchdays. Phil very rarely misses any matches and always ensures there is ample water on hand and after every match he takes the kit home to wash and freshen up ready for the next match.

Fulham Irish (Hurling)

Tony Duffy (collected by Liam Barry)

Tony has been integral to the leadership of the Fulham Irish hurling team since it started in 2008. Tony ensures everything is in place for the team to be prepared and has the full support of all the players and members involved. His contributions are much appreciated by everyone at the Club.

Kilburn Gaels

Sean Redmond

Sean first came to London in September 1959 where he played football/hurling with St. Mary's. In 1961, Sean was one of the founding members of the Desmond's hurling and football club, where he fulfilled many roles both as a player and committee member. With the amalgamation of the Desmond's and Glen Rovers forming the present Kilburn Gaels Hurling club. Here Sean continued to fulfil many roles, namely keeping a very tight reign on the purse strings. Throughout his time in London, Sean also played his part as a county board officer from PRO to provincial officer, to even running the social club. After his playing career Sean became a referee of some note in the British GAA, officiating at games all over the country. He in fact refereed senior/intermediate and McGrath Cup in the one season in London. His most notable achievement with the whistle was to come in the Whit Gaelic games played in Wembley Stadium where he took control in successive years of hurling and football 1973-74. To this day Sean is a constant at games and at Kilburn committee meetings always offering advice and help.

Robert Emmetts

Tom Redmond

Tom Redmond was the chairman of the Robert Emmetts hurling club for 30 years. He also served in various committees over the years in London. Tom also gave his time as a volunteer on match days in Ruislip to help in any way he could. Tom, originally from County Wexford, was a proud Duffry Rovers clubman. Tom has since moved back to Cork to retire but still keeps in touch with the ongoings in London and his beloved Robert Emmetts hurling club.

Brothers Pearse

Kevin Murphy (collected by Barry Smith)

Since joining the club from Clarinbridge in 1975, Kevin Murphy has had a huge influence on our club. First as a hurler and then was instrumental in setting up a football team which had great success from the 1990s. He has organised numerous club events and is a huge supporter of any fundraisers and is always on the end of the phone to lend a hand. His famous quick-wit and larger-than-life character makes him a great representative for the club and he leaves a lasting impression on all who meet him.

Dulwich Harps

Tom Denning

GAA prides itself on volunteerism and everything involved in the association is there because they share in the passion for our games and love for our culture and Tom epitomises all of the above. He has dedicated most of his life to the association and has been the one and only constant in the club that has players/members come and go. Over the years it would have been easy for Tom to step away but his love of the club has always made sure we are represented and is the key reason GAA remains strong in South London.

St. Brendan's

Tony Fagan

Not only does Tony support St. Brendan's behind the scenes, he's ever present at Ruislip to help out there too. A hard-working GAA man the county would be lost without men like him giving their time.

St. Anthony's

James O'Brien

James has been the player/manager for St. Anthony's for the past two years. Not only that but takes it upon himself to also maintain the pitch groundwork, store equipment at home, fund travel for players and push the social scene. A true all-round GAA man.

St. Claret's

Marie Hession

Daughter of the foremost of our founders, Denis McCarthy Sr, Marie has served St. Claret's all her life and has been a leading figure in ensuring our lasting existence throughout the past five decades. From organising registrations, dinner dances and golf days, to ensuring the children's enjoyment and our compliance at youth level, the club owes a huge debt of gratitude to Marie for he everlasting labour of love towards St. Claret's. For all the unseen work and picking up of the unglamorous tasks, we thank you sincerely and are proud to acknowledge the value which you volunteering has brought to the club. Well done Marie.

Eire Og

Rony Campfield

Rony has been instrumental is all activities within the club to ensure we have the resources to field this year. He has arranged sponsorship, organised our annual golf day and brought in significant donations which made it a great success. Ronan's time and effort this year as a volunteer has been invaluable to the running of our club this year and we are extremely grateful of his time.

Parnells

Willie Moffatt

Willie Moffatt is a most deserving first recipient of this award as he has been part of Parnells for 61 years and currently is our President. Willie attends matches for our Ladies, Men and Youth, helping on matchdays, always giving support and inspiring others. Parnells could simply not do without his involvement and embodies the very spirit of being a wonderful and exemplary volunteer in our GAA community.

St. Kiernan's

Patsy Redmond

Patsy has been an ever-present in the club from its foundation. Patsy was one of the founder members of St. Kiernan's underage and trained many teams at various age groups with great success. Patsy coached many of the lads that are playing on our senior, junior and reserve teams today. Even though Patsy doesn't coach anymore, he is ever-present at every game from underage to men to ladies. Patsy is also great help at our new facility in Barnet Lane where he helps out doing the jobs nobody else wants to do like picking up rubbish, helping put up fencing and parking cars on matchdays.

Round TowersKathleen Kane (collected by Cathal Cuinnea)

Kathleen has been integral to keeping underage Gaelic football going in South London over the past 10-15 years. Her tenacity and commitment to providing a route to participate in our sport for children throughout the community has never wavered. It is not too much of an overstatement to say it is difficult to envisage how Round Towers minor club could have survived without her through a difficult time previously. We thank Kathleen for her service down the years and owe much of the growth of the club to her efforts.

Garryowen

Sean McDonagh (collected by Eddie McLoughlin)

Sean, a London born player and commitee member, has given long years of service on and off the field. He is fully deserving of an award for his contribution to Gaelic games in London.

Tir Chonaill Gaels

Paddy Burke

Paddy is our club President and there is no better man to rely on when it comes to all things GAA. He is always ready and willing to help out with anything that's required - from lining pitches to umpiring matches, you will always see him at all our games from youth level right up to senior and he is a true credit to both the Club and the Association.

Tara

Tracey Monagle

Youth secretary Tracey goes above and beyond for the youth and senior clubs. She organises the Tara golf day, dinner and dance every year, she keeps all safeguarding and DBS up to date for the youth membership details etc. The list is endless.

North London ShamrocksEamonn Conroy (collected by Keith Egan)

Eamonn became part of the club through his son Felim playing with our Youth teams. Since then he has become an integral and unsung hero. A coach of the first Shamrocks youth team to play in Ireland (in 2016 with McCurtains), he has continued to play a vital role in making sure everything is running like clockwork off the pitch. There is no job too big or too small for him and when asked to do anything just gets on with it with minimum fuss. The type of person that every club needs and we are so lucky to have him.

St. Joseph's

John McNamara

As chairman of the club, he continues to go above and beyond his title within the club. Always at the end of the phone to help lads with any football or non-football related issues, he is a friend to all. All at St. Joseph's are delighted to have this opportunity to in some way show recognition to John for his continued commitment to the club.

Kingdom Kerry Gaels

Tony Nolan

For his outstanding contribution to KKG and London GAA over many years.

Harlesden Harps

Joe Lynch

Joe was involved in the formation of Harlesden Harps in 1990 and served as club treasurer for about 20 years until his wife Patricia took over the role. Joe won two junior championships with the club in 1992 and 1996 when he captained the team. Joe continued to play with the Harps until about 2000 when he decided to get into management with the club. Joe took over as manager around 2010 and has been manager of the club ever since. He was the manager when we won the delayed junior championship in 2020. He took the club to three intermediate finals which we unfortunately lost. Joe has been a great club servant as a player, administrator, selector, trainer and manager and is thoroughly deserving of the club volunteer award.

Fulham Irish (Football)Andy Brown

Andy has supported Fulham Irish since formation in 2006. He helps maintain facilities at Scrubs, repairing nets, clipping goalmouth grass, maintaining flags and sleeves and keeps equipment containers in good shape. Andy goes about doing this work in a quiet and efficient manner. His contributions are much appreciated by everyone at the club.

Wandsworth Gaels

Darren Mallon

Darren is a very diligent, hardworking volunteer within the club.

Neasden GaelsPadraig Kelleher