Let’s look at who’s in the running for the top award at tonight’s West Cork Sports Star Awards gala banquet
DAVID HARTE: The legendary Irish men’s hockey shot-stopper picked up the first West Cork Sports Star monthly award of 2024 after helping Ireland to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris, which the 36-year-old then went on to star in. The man from Ringrone outside Kinsale had endured heartbreak and injury setbacks since captaining Ireland at the Rio Games in 2016, but he reminded us all of his class again last year.
KATE NOLAN: The Clonakilty teenager accepted the March award after she captained Sacred Heart Secondary School Clonakilty to a breakthrough Munster Schools Girls Senior Cup final triumph (20-10) against Clare outfit Coláiste Muire Ennis at Virgin Media Park. Kate was part of a group that played a key role in setting up a girls’ rugby team in the school so it was fitting she captained Sacred Heart to a famous win.
Conor Hourihane captained Derby County to League One promotion last season.
CONOR HOURIHANE: West Cork’s greatest-ever soccer player has since hung up his playing boots but the Bandon man went out in style. After he captained Derby County to promotion from League One in April, Conor’s success was acknowledged with the April monthly award. It was Conor’s third promotion in English football, following success with Barnsley and Aston Villa.
James O'Donovan with the gold medal he won in the senior men's Moors in Germany.
JAMES O’DONOVAN: The Bandon bowler was in the headlines in May after he won gold in the Dutch Moors discipline at the European Bowling Championships in Germany. On a dramatic day, James won by 15 centimetres to be crowned European champion and spark huge celebrations both in Germany and at home in West Cork. Later in the year James was crowned Ból Chumann’s Male Player of the Year.
RUEBEN HENRY: Meet the Clonakilty man who grew accustomed to lifting West Cork League silverware in 2024 – Rueben captained Clonakilty Soccer Club to their first-ever Premier Division title triumph as well as Clon’s first Beamish Cup success in 16 years. It was a magical season for the Clonakilty team, led by captain fantastic Rueben. He also lifted the May monthly award!
PHIL HEALY: The Ballineen Bullet is the second most successful sportsperson in the history of these awards, and she picked up her seventh monthly award after her greatest moment yet – Phil won a silver medal with the Irish women’s 4x400m relay team at the European Athletics Championships in Rome in June. This was Phil’s first senior international medal. Later in the summer, the same quartet finished fourth in the relay final at the Olympic Games.
NICOLA TUTHILL: A rising star of Irish athletics, the Kilbrittain athlete was only 19 when she qualified for her first Olympic Games, single-handedly putting the women’s hammer throw back on the map in Ireland. After setting a huge new PB of 70.32m, Nicola saw a chance to compete at the Olympics, and grabbed it. The youngest in the field went on to finish 16th out of 32 competitors. She also added a June monthly award to her growing collection.
PADRAIG REIDY: The success of the Goleen footballers in 2024, led by captain fantastic Padraig, was one of the great stories last year. After four county junior B final losses since 2019, Goleen turned down the option to move to the junior A ranks as they wanted a Cork junior B title. Last July, led by Padraig, they delivered, beating Ballyphenane to win the county final.
PAUL O’DONOVAN: One half of the Irish men’s lightweight double team that dominated their event since 2019, Paul ascended into Irish sporting folklore in 2024 when he became the first Irish sportsperson ever to win medals at three different Olympic Games. The dream team of Paul and Fintan McCarthy were untouchable in Paris, defending their gold from Tokyo. Paul then went on to win a World title in the singles sculls and, of course, a West Cork Sports Star monthly award.
FINTAN McCARTHY: The other half of the sensational rowing dream team that was moulded in Skibbereen Rowing Club, Fintan showed his world-class ability again in 2024, as Paul O’Donovan and himself successfully defended their men’s lightweight double sculls title. Fintan joined a very unique club of Irish sportspeople who have won two Olympic gold medals. The added bonus is that his West Cork Sports Star monthly award collection is growing too.
CIARA O’SULLIVAN: One of the comeback stories of 2024, the Newcestown camogie star battled back from the cruciate ligament injury that wiped out her 2023 season to earn her place back on the Cork senior camogie panel, and then go on to play a role in the Rebels’ All-Ireland success. Ciara came on in the All-Ireland senior final triumph against Galway, and was a worthy winner of an August monthly award.
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin (Ford Fiesta Rally2) on their way to victory in the 2024 Ulster Rally.
KEITH CRONIN: A former overall winner of these awards back in 2009, highlighting his consistency, Keith was in the headlines last year after winning the Irish Tarmac Championship title for the first time since 2016. In fact, it was the Ballylickey man’s first time competing in the championship since ’16, and he powered to glory, winning the title on a tie-break after the seventh and final event. His success included a home win in the West Cork Rally, and the September monthly award.
Enya Breen leads out Ireland against Canada.
ENYA BREEN: The Skibbereen rugby trailblazer added another feather to the cap of West Cork’s growing rugby reputation when she became the first West Cork player to captain an Ireland international team. In October Enya twice captained Ireland at the WXV1, against Canada and the USA. The Munster star is a key member of the Irish women’s rugby team that will compete at the Rugby World Cup later this year.
MÉABH O’DONOVAN: Hailing from a family steeped in GAA tradition, it was fitting that Méabh captained Clonakilty ladies’ footballers to their history-making achievements in 2024. When Clon beat Kinsale to win the county senior B football final, it marked the first senior county title for the club. This was a huge win for Méabh and her team-mates, and she accepted the October monthly award on their behalf.
LAURA O’MAHONY: The most successful GAA team in West Cork in recent seasons continued their quest to take over the world in 2024, as the O’Donovan Rossa ladies footballers, led by captain Laura O’Mahony, won county and Munster intermediate titles in their first year at the grade. It means Laura and her team-mates won five major championship trophies in a row, between 2023 and ’24. Their reward is senior football this year, and a West Cork Sports Star monthly award for Laura.
