Mayo GAA clubs singled out for recognition in MacNamee Awards
The winners of the 2020 MacNamee Awards have been confirmed by the GAA, with two Mayo clubs singled out for recognition.
The GAA National Communication and Media Awards are named after the late Pádraig MacNamee, former president of the GAA, chairman of the GAA Commission (1969-1971) and member of the RTÉ authority.
They are presented annually in recognition of outstanding contributions made by individuals and association units in the area of media and communications.
Knockmore GAA Club's 60th anniversary book has won the award for Best GAA Club Publication. The citation reads: "The Knockmore GAA Club 60th anniversary book is a wonderful retrospective of the story of the club. The club’s history is chartered chronologically through the book year by year with great taglines for each year by way of introduction. The use of pictures throughout helps bring their story to life. The presentation is excellent – it is a substantial book, and the landscape design makes it accessible."
Meanwhile, Belmullet GAA Club has won the Community Contribution Award. The nomination came from an individual in the community that saw and highlighted the impact from their own personal interaction with the GAA club's community outreach programme.
“The challenges faced by communities in rural Ireland was evident in the distance the volunteers covered in deliveries of grocers and medicines. The GAA club planned, organised and went that extra mile to help and support their community daily. There was a genuine sense of community spirit. The familiar faces helping each other and the extra time spent to have a chat with members of the community who were very lonely during the lockdown months of the Covid pandemic were invaluable,” the citation reads.
Quite fittingly, Knockmore and Belmullet have reached this year's Mayo senior county championship final, which will be played in James Stephens Park, Ballina, on Sunday, November 21.
Uachtarán CLG Larry McCarthy offered his congratulations to the winners. He said: “From its earliest days the GAA understood the importance of communication with its membership and the power of being able to tell and share its story far and wide.
“The GAA’s MacNamee Awards allow us to recognise those individuals who have performed exemplary work in this field and whose contribution to GAA communications is of the highest standard.
“Congratulations to all of the winners. The diverse range of awards reflects the fact that communication is ever evolving and we remain committed to ensuring that Gaelic games remains seen and heard in this busy landscape.”
Other winners in the 2020 MacNamee Awards include: Len Gaynor – Chiselled from Ash by Shane Brophy (Best GAA Publication), Blarney GAA Club (Best Website), Armagh GAA (Digital Impact Award), David Fitzgerald, Sportsfile (Best Photograph), Adrian Eames, RTÉ Radio Sport (Best GAA Related Radio Programme – 'Bloody Sunday Commemoration'), Armagh SFC final programme (Best Programme GAA), Damian Dolan, The Irish World (Provincial Media Award – ‘Rubbing Shoulders with Giants’), Fintan O'Toole, The42.ie (National Media Award – 'My grandfather, sporting memories and a Kerry team playing on All-Ireland hurling final day'), Conall Ó Máirtín, BBC Uladh (Gradam na Gaeilge (Irish Language Award) – ‘Domhnach na Fola’), Michael Foley, Sunday Times (Special Merit Award), and Seán Bán Breathnach (Hall of Fame).
“I want to particularly pay tribute to Hall of Fame inductee Seán Bán Breathnach and salute his life-long dedication to GAA journalism across so many different platforms,” said Mr. McCarthy.
Due to the Covid-19 situation, the presentation of the MacNamee Awards has been postponed until a future date.