Monica Callinan pictured with her husband Kevin. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
KILMIHIL’s Monica Callinan will be honoured for her volunteerism this Friday.
Monica is one of the ten winners at the 2022 LGFA Volunteer of the Year award winners with a special ceremony to take place in Croke Park on Friday.
In November, Monica stepped down as secretary of the Clare Ladies Gaelic Football Association after five years in the role, working closely alongside three different Chairman including the late Kieran Harvey, David O’Brien of Cooraclare and the incumbent Seán Lenihan.
Ten different awards will be handed out this week in what is the sixth year of the LGFA scheme.
Accepting the County/Provincial committee officer of the year will be Monica who had been an integral member of the Clare LGFA.
At the time of Monica’s resignation in November, Lenihan stated, “Monica has done a superb job as secretary, it is the hardest job, the Chairman’s job is a doddle when you have a good secretary and Monica has been exceptional. You made my job very easy and the same has been said by my predecessor’s Kieran Harvey lord rest him and David O’Brien”.
He said that the Monaghan woman was taking “a well-earned break but we are unfortunate to lose her”.
LGFA President Mícheál Naughton said they are were “delighted once again to honour our annual Volunteer of the Year award winners.Volunteers, and the sterling and unselfish work that they undertake, are the lifeblood of our Association and I salute all of our winners. We received another outstanding volume of entries and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who took the time to submit nominations.
Monica is the second winner from West Clare in as many years. Last year, Quilty’s Derrick Lynch a reporter with Clare FM won the local journalist of the year after receiving a nomination from Clare LGFA.
Her clubmate Marie Egan was named coach of the year in 2016. A spokesperson for the Kilmihil club said, “in her time worked tirelessly to ensure the betterment and promotion of ladies football in Clare. Monica stood down from her role at the end of 2022 and we are sure all involved will agree she has left Clare LGFA in a better place. Monica has remained involved at County board level and is now the Injury Fund officer”.
2022 LGFA Volunteer of the Year award winners.
Young Volunteer of the Year – Erika Long (Milltown, Kildare)
PRO of the Year – Seamus McGuire (Longford)
Local Journalist of the Year – Tara Byrne (KFM, Kildare)
School Coach of the Year – joint award for Emma Galligan and Laura Brogan (Mount Saint Michael Secondary School, Claremorris, Mayo)
Coach of the Year – Noel Treacy (RIP) (Kildress, Tyrone)
Club Committee Officer of the Year – Aislinn Nugent Reid (Valleymount, Wicklow)
County/Provincial Committee Officer of the Year – Monica Callinan (Clare LGFA)
International Volunteer of the Year – Colin Dixon (Na Fianna, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam)
Volunteer Hall of Fame – Mary Power O’Shea (Mullinahone, Tipperary)
Overall Volunteer of the Year (Lulu Carroll award) – Domo Murtagh (Navan O’Mahonys, Meath)
