Brendan Boyce takes Overall Donegal Sports Star Award

Olympic Race Walker Brendan Boyce is the 2021 Overall Donegal Sports Star Award winner. The 35-year-old Milford native took the top award after his outstanding performance at the Olympic Games last August and then at the end of the year qualifying for the 2022 World Championships.

Boyce got the judges nod from a shortlist of six names that included League of Ireland Premier Division ‘Player of the Year’ Georgie Kelly; GAA All-Star Geraldine McLaughlin; apprentice jockey champion Dylan Browne-McMonagle; Irish Olympic team manager Teresa McDaid and World Boxing Organisation’s North American middleweight champion Jason Quigley.

In all 16 awards were announced by Donegal Sports Star Awards Media Officer Declan Kerr at the Mount Errigal Hotel as the show was presented virtually for the second year running. The only person that knew prior to the event he was getting an award was the 46th Hall of Fame inductee Eamon Giles from Cranford A.C.

Illies Golden Gloves Boxing Club stalwart Sadie Duffy took the Appreciation accolade while for a second time Dungloe man James Boyle was honoured in the Para-Athlete category.

In her address the Chairperson Grace Boyle remembered families that had lost loved ones during 2021 including two past Donegal Sports Star Awards Brid Carr (Table Tennis 1979 and 1980) and John Joe McAteer (Appreciation 2004).

The winners in the Team and Club categories were the Donegal Inter-County women’s athletic team and St. Eunan’s GAA Club. The women won a national cross-country title while Eunan’s landed five county adult titles plus an U21 success.

Jockey Dylan Browne-McMonagle’s magnificent year in the saddle was rewarded with a Sporting Acknowledgement accolade while Termon and Donegal GAA sharpshooter Geraldine McLaughlin took the Special Recognition category after finally being selected as an All-Star 12 years into her inter-county football career.

Young athlete Adrienne Gallen was the only person to bring home back-to-back awards as the 16-year-old Lifford-Strabane Club member was the judges choice in the Youth category after another huge year in the hammer event that saw the St. Columba’s Stranorlar student astonishingly twice set new Donegal senior records as well as medalling in Paris and then a stunning success at the Tailteann Games.

Letterkenny A.C. woman Teresa McDaid was named Coach-Manager of the Year in recognition of her role in guiding a 4x400m relay team to a final Tokyo and being the first woman to be in overall charge of an Irish Olympic team. Staying with the Olympic theme the Donegal Sports Star Awards committee honoured all the Olympians who have links to the county including Brendan Boyce, Eilis Flanagan, Mark English and Mona McSharry who all competed while Teresa McDaid was Irish team operations manager, Daniel Magee was Badminton Team Lead; Michael Black was triathlon coach while Dr. Sharon Madigan was the Head Nutritionist.

On the day he was completing his move to English League 1 side Rotherham Utd Burnfoot man Georgie Kelly was the winner in the Brendan McDaid Memorial Special Achievement category. It came after the 25-year-old enjoyed a super season in the League of Ireland Premier Division with Bohemians that culminated in him being named ‘Player of the Year’.

The two schools honoured in the 2021 Donegal Sports Star Awards were Dromore National School Killygordon and Gairmscoil Chu Uladh, Ballinamore. The Primary School Award went to Dromore for a wide range of sporting activities and their efforts on inclusivity of pupils regardless of their abilities. During the pandemic secondary school winners Gairmscoil Chu Uladh’s pupils were kept active by their Coiste Slainte who organised 300k and 500k walk/run challenges. The schools at Ballinamore and Dromore were being honoured for the first time by the Donegal Sports Star Awards committee.

Young Letterkenny jockey Dylan Browne-McMonagle’s fantastic flat racing season got the judge’s vote for the Sporting Acknowledgement category. McMonagle’s 46 winners saw him crowned Apprentice Jockey Champion and the 18-year-old rounded off an incredible year when Horse Racing Ireland chose him for the Emerging Talent Award.

Boxer Jason Quigley took the Professional Sports Achievement category after winning the World Boxing Organisation’s North American middleweight title. While there was huge disappointment for Jason in November when he suffered defeat in the WBO Middleweight title bout it was still an unbelievable journey from the Twin Towns to be in the ring in New Hampshire that night.

The Donegal Sports Star Awards committee honoured Finn Valley AC’s Brendan Boyce with the International Achievement Award before he was named the Overall Winner for 2021. 10th in the world in the gruelling 50km Race Walk at the Tokyo Olympics was a massive achievement for the Milford man and at the end of the year he adapted to the shorter 35k to qualify for both next year’s World and European Championships at the first attempt. Boyce was taking the Overall for second time having also won it in 2019 and he is the 13th athlete to take the top honour in Donegal sport.

2021 DONEGAL SPORTS STAR AWARDS WINNERS

OLYMPIC RECOGNITION
Brendan Boyce, Finn Valley A.C.
Daniel Magee, Raphoe
Dr. Sharon Madigan, Letterkenny
Eilish Flanagan, Finn Valley A.C.
Mark English, Finn Valley A.C.
Michael Black, Letterkenny 24-7 Triathlon Club
Mona McSharry, Marlins S.C.
Teresa McDaid, Letterkenny A.C.

PROFESSIONAL SPORT ACHIEVEMENT
Jason Quigley, Golden Boy Promotions

TEAM
Donegal Women’s Senior Cross Country Team

CLUB
St. Eunan’s GAA Club, Letterkenny

PRIMARY SCHOOL
Dromore National School, Killygordon

SECONDARY SCHOOL
Gairmscoil Chú Uladh, Béal Átha Móir, An Chlochán

COACH / MANAGER
Teresa McDaid, Letterkenny A.C.

PARA-ATHLETE
James Boyle, Dungloe

INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
Brendan Boyce, Finn Valley A.C.

HALL OF FAME
Eamon Giles, Cranford A.C.

BRENDAN MCDAID MEMORIAL SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT
Georgie Kelly, Bohemians

SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Geraldine McLaughlin, Clg An Tearmainn

SPORTING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Dylan Browne McMonagle, Letterkenny

APPRECIATION
Sadie Duffy, Illies Golden Gloves A.B.C.

YOUTH
Adrienne Gallen, Lifford Strabane A.C.

OVERALL DONEGAL SPORTS STAR 2021
Brendan Boyce, Finn Valley A.C.

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Limited visiting re-introduced at Letterkenny University Hospital

Visiting by appointment has been re-introduced at Letterkenny University Hospital and patients may have one visit per day lasting up to 30 minutes. 

Family members/visitors are asked to contact the ward or unit before 3pm on the day, with  appointments being staggered across all ward areas at 6.30pm, 7.15pm and 8pm.

Visitors will be asked to arrive at their scheduled visiting time to the main hospital entrance where their name will be checked on the approved list of visitors and they will be asked to complete a COVID-19 Risk Assessment Form.

Visitors will be asked to produce their EU Digital COVID Certificate, HSE COVID-19 Vaccination Record or other proof of immunity at the entrance. Visitors may be asked to show some photo ID to prove that the proof of immunity is theirs. There are exemptions from the requirement for the EU Digital COVID Certificate or HSE COVID-19 Vaccination Record or other proof of immunity on compassionate grounds.

 Children should not visit the hospital at this time unless agreed in advance, on compassionate grounds, with the ward manager.

 Visitors will be required to follow public health guidance, including wearing a surgical mask and performing good hand hygiene regularly during their visit to the hospital. Anyone planning to visit the hospital is asked to delay their visit if they have any symptoms of COVID-19, have been in contact with anyone with COVID-19 or are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

 There are separate arrangements in place for access to the maternity department for nominated support partners.

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9,591 new Covid cases confirmed in ROI

9,591 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed this evening.

5,109 are PCR-confirmed cases, and 4,482 people registered a positive antigen test yesterday.

707 people are in hospital with the virus – the lowest since New Year’s Day.

69 are in intensive care – the lowest since last October.

Most recent figures for Letterkenny University Hospital show 15 infected patients there, one of them in ICU.

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Udaras approves €1 million increase in its community development budget

The Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta today approved a total budget of €6.125m to fund the implementation of the organisation’s Community Development, Language and Cultural Tourism Programme for 2022.

The figure is up €1m on last year.

Donegal is edpected to benefit substantially from the allocation, which includes administration grants for community development organisations and support for local community development committees.

Release in full –

The Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta today (28/01/2022) approved a total budget of €6.125m to fund the implementation of the organisation’s Community Development, Language and Cultural Tourism Programme for 2022. The budget approved for this programme shows an increase of €1m for 2022.  

This programme includes the provision of annual funding for the organisation’s subsidiaries Muintearas CTR and Ealaín (na Gaeltachta) CTR as well as Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta CTR as well as administration grants for community development organisations and support for local community development committees. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, the Gaeltacht, Sport and Media provides an annual provision for the Community and Language Development Programme, which has increased by €1m in 2022 and the remainder of the budget is made available through Údarás na Gaeltachta’s own funds.

Annual Budgets of Údarás na Gaeltachta Subsidiaries

A provision of €1.87m has been approved by the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta for its subsidiaries and a strategic company to implement their annual work programmes in 2022.

€590,000 was approved for Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta who provide a support service for a range of early Gaeltacht education services and to assist naíonraí with low attendance in less developed, remote or island areas.
€780,000 was approved for Muintearas CTR to promote training, education, youth and early education projects and to administer the Summer Camps Scheme.
€500,000 was approved for Ealaín (na Gaeltachta) CTR to implement a comprehensive arts programme in the Gaeltacht including services and grant schemes, which support the development of arts organisations and individual artists in the Gaeltacht. The Arts Council has also significantly increased its co-funding for 2022. 

Community Development & Language Budget

A provision of €625,000, which represents an increase of €185,000, has been approved for various schemes which promote community, language and tourism development.

Funding of €155,000 was approved for the Local Community Development Programme (LCDP) for two organisations under this scheme — Pobal le Chéile CDP CTR based in An Fál Carrach, Co. Donegal and CDP na Rosann CTR, An Clochán Liath, Co. Donegal.
A provision of €165,000, an increase of €55,000, was approved for a range of supports provided by An tÚdarás for activities and language preservation activities which aim to preserve, promote and develop the Irish language throughout the Gaeltacht.
In light of the significant blow received by the tourism sector, a provision of €145,000, an increase of €70,000, has been approved for a range of activities to focus on supporting the cultural tourism sector in the Gaeltacht, building on the partnerships established with co-operatives and other community and tourism organisations and to cater for projects which will assist with the development of tourism in the Gaeltacht.
In recognition of the important work being carried out by committees and community organisations throughout the Gaeltacht, a significant increase is being proposed for the Community Enterprise Scheme with a provision of €100,000 approved to assist committees/community organisations to meet the costs of developing small community initiatives, carrying out research or purchasing essential equipment.
A provision of €60,000, an increase of €15,000, was approved as a gteic network support fund to help develop digital networks, in conjunction with co-operatives and community-based organisations, in areas where it will be challenging to cover the placement and running costs.

Social Enterprise Initiatives

A fund of €210,000 has been approved to support the work being carried out by Údarás na Gaeltachta’s Community Development Unit in relation to the Gaeltacht Social Enterprise Programme and the resulting mentoring process.

Údarás na Gaeltachta has placed a particular emphasis on social enterprise, based on the fact that it will enable Gaeltacht community development groups to provide additional services and projects in the Gaeltacht, and to do so in a way which will enhance the community development organisation’s revenue, this particular fund is being provided to assist community development organisations to develop various initiatives.

Diaspora Fund

The Gaeltacht Diaspora project is an integral part of Údarás na Gaeltachta’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan and a new provision of €54,000 was approved to build on the Diaspora Programme in 2022. There is a strong Gaeltacht diaspora worldwide and has significant value in terms of networking, attracting people home, investments and more. Údarás na Gaeltachta has made significant progress on the Diaspora project, with An tÚdarás mentioned, for example, in the Bilateral Policy between Ireland and Scotland, as well as the strong links between Gaeltacht areas and the United States. In 2021, the Gaeltacht Diaspora Centre was established in conjunction with the Emigrants Commemorative Centre in Carna, creating a direct link with the Gaeltacht Diaspora.

Administration Grants for Community Development Organisations

A total provision of €3,366,000 was approved by the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in administration grants for community development organisations for 2022 which indicates a €550,000 increase from 2021. Details of the funding for individual organisations will be published in due course when work programmes for 2022 have been approved.

Údarás na Gaeltachta provides administration funding to 33 community organisations, between cooperatives and community-based companies, in order to assist them with the implementation of a community development programme in their functional areas which focus on the needs of the local community. The Gaeltacht cooperatives are an integral part of the Gaeltacht’s development foundation and play a significant role in implementing the aims and objectives of the upcoming ‘Údarás na Gaeltachta Strategy 2021-2025’. They play a vital role in the implementation of language plans in their various areas as well as supporting the development of the gteic network, promoting tourism and cultural projects and looking at the opportunities for renewable energy for cooperatives, among other priorities.

 

The 2022 Community Development, Language and Community Development Organisations Fund

2022

Provision

Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta CTR
590,000

Muintearas CTR
780,000

Ealaín (na Gaeltachta) CTR
500,000

Local Community Development Programme (LCDP)
155,000

Language Based Events and Activities
165,000

Cultural Tourism Development
145,000

Provision for assisting gteic network development
60,000

Community Enterprise Scheme
100,000

Social Enterprise Initiatives
210,000

Diaspora Fund
54,000

Administration Grants for Community Organisations
3,366,000

Total
€6,125,000

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Status yellow wind warning issued for Donegal

A status yellow wind warning has been issued for County Donegal overnight.

It will run from 3am tomorrow morning for six hours until 9am.

Met Eireann is predicting gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour, and say they could he higher in coastal areas, or on higher ground.

Similar warnings have also been issued by the UK Met Service for Antrim, Derry and Tyrone.

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All systems go for Bundoran 10 event in March

Preparations are well underway for the first annual Bundoran 10 event, in association with Tir Chonaill Athletic Club, which will take place on Saturday March 5th in the seaside town.

The successor event to the Cara Bundoran Run will use the same scenic route through Bundoran, Leitrim and conclude on the stunning Rougey Walk with runners and walkers finishing at the Main Beach.

With just over 4 weeks until the 10 mile walk and run, preparations are an advanced stage as the Bundoran 10 committee ensure the route is ready, participants informed and registered and checklists checked off.

Race director Eamon Harvey said ‘We would encourage anyone who is still considering entering to get registering as soon as possible and to ensure a spot and to guarantee one of the limited stock of t-shirts available for the event.’

Registration is online only via www.discoverbundoran.com/bundoran10 or www.myrunresults.com

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Mark English begins 2022 in New York

Donegal’s Mark English will be in action against a strong field on Saturday evening at the Millrose Games in New York.

It will be the Finn Valley AC athlete’s first outing of 2022 in what is a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet.

English competed in the 2020 Millrose Games, where he finished sixth in the 800m.

English has already secured qualification for the 2022 World Athletics Championships, which take place in Oregon in July.

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Donegal Culture & Creativity Grants Scheme 2022

 

Applications are being invited for the Donegal Culture & Creativity Grants Scheme 2022.

The scheme promotes collaboration and fosters creativity as envisaged in the Creative Ireland programme.

The Scheme is offering 20 grants of €2,000 each to projects that encourage cooperation and collaboration between communities and heritage specialists, artists, culture professionals and/or creative industries to preserve, conserve, research, practice, exhibit, perform, instruct, engage, enhance, promote or address an aspect of the material or non-material culture in an original, imaginative or creative way.

Community groups and individuals may apply for funding for a project that addresses culture, heritage, arts or creative industries.

Creative Ireland is a culture-based programme designed to promote individual, community and national well-being.

Local Authorities across the country, including Donegal County Council, are working in partnership with Creative Ireland to deliver Pillar 2 of the Creative Ireland programme that aims to ‘Enable Creativity in Every Community’.

Creative Ireland defines culture as “The shared values, patterns of behaviour, customs and forms of expression that characterise different social groups and communities at any given time”.

The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 4 March at 12 noon.

Further details and application forms are available to download here: Donegal Culture Creativity Grants Scheme 2022 – Application Form.docx or by e-mailing creativeireland@donegalcoco.ie

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Eamonn Giles honoured to be 46th Inductee of DSS Hall of Fame

The 2021 Donegal Sports Star Awards takes place virtually tonight starting at 7.30.

For the second year running the event will be presented virtually. With plenty of sporting activity from the summer onwards the committee is pleased to be able to bring in some more categories for Friday night and will be introducing a few extra features that is set to give the event added appeal.

Cranford Athletic Club stalwart Eamonn Giles will become the 46th inductee into the Donegal Sports Star Hall of Fame.

It is fitting that in the year that he turns 80 Giles is being honoured for six decades of dedication to the sport of athletics.

Ahead of Friday’s ceremony, Eamonn and Awards Media Officier Declan Kerr joined John Breslin on Thursday’s Around The North West:

https://highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Eamonn-Giles-280122.mp3

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