The Crookedwood GAA volunteer is a tribute to her club and community.
VOLUNTEERS FROM ALL 32 COUNTIES CELEBRATED AT THE 2022 FEDERATION OF IRISH SPORT VOLUNTEERS IN SPORT AWARDS. PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF 29 LOCAL SPORTS PARTNERSHIPS.
The Federation of Irish Sport has this week celebrated the winners of the 2022 Volunteers in Sport Awards proudly supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships.
The special guest speaker at the awards Thomas Byrne, Minister of State with responsibility for Sport & Physical Education, presented the recipients from each county with a custom-made medal recognising their amazing dedication to volunteering across a variety of different sports.
In addition to the 32 county award winners, the overall Outstanding Achievement Award was
presented to Aislinn Nugent of Valleymount LGFA from Co. Wicklow in special recognition of her promotion of inclusivity, community spirit, health and well-being through Sport in the community for over 20 years.
The winner of the award for Co. Westmeath is Déirdre Orme of Crookedwood GAA, who has been volunteering for more than a decade. Déirdre has spent her whole life involved with the club and when her playing days were cut short due to illness Déirdre continued to contribute to the sport she loved through committee and promotional roles.
Déirdre is a huge part of the community, helping with coaching and fundraising for various different events for the club. Déirdre helped with community work during Covid as well as a whole range of mental health initiatives.
Also a member of the Civil Defence, Déirdre has used her first aid training to assist with any teams that need it, never missing a game. It is her dedication and commitment to her club and county that has set her apart and Déirdre has become an inspiration for many.
The Volunteers in Sport Awards celebrate the contributions of the band of volunteers across thecountry who give their time to Irish sport and physical activity every year.
This equates to approximately 37.3 million hours of volunteering across Ireland’s 13,000 registered sports clubs and associations and, according to Sport Ireland’s 2021 ‘Researching the Value of Sport in Ireland’ report, is worth an estimated €1.5bn to the exchequer.