Mayo winner in Texaco Support for Sport initiative announced

The names of the 25 sports clubs chosen to receive funding under this year’s 2024 Texaco Support for Sport initiative have been announced.

The Mayo winner is Ballina Boxing Club, which will receive €5,000 in funding.

In its fourth year, the scheme is hosted and organised by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited, the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand, with judging overseen by former Irish rugby international and well-known broadcaster, Donncha O’Callaghan.

Of the clubs receiving funding this year, €35,000 is divided equally amongst seven soccer clubs, with a further €50,000 shared equally amongst three rugby clubs, three hurling clubs, two Gaelic football clubs, and two tennis clubs.

In addition, a further €40,000 is divided between eight clubs whose disciplines include archery, athletics, basketball, boxing, GAA (combined games), gymnastics, handball and squash, all receiving €5,000 in each case.

There was no qualifying entry received from Co. Sligo this year so, as a result, the €5,000 award that might otherwise have gone to a deserving club in the county will remain unpresented.

Congratulating the winners, and praising the unstinting work of club officials and volunteers, James Twohig, director of Ireland operations with Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited, acknowledged the invaluable contribution that sports clubs make to the heart of community life in Ireland.

He added: “The purpose of our Texaco Support for Sport initiative is to help ease financial pressure on sports clubs throughout the country and, since its inception, we are proud to have distributed over €500,000 to a variety of more than 100 Irish sports clubs to help them continue to play a pivotal role within their communities.”

An invitation to enter the 2025 Texaco Support for Sport initiative will issue again in the autumn, with entries open to all clubs, including those whose application may have been unsuccessful previously.