Friday night was awards night for the County Kilkenny athletics community. Athletes, family members, and friends gathered in The Parish Pump, Rosbercon, where they dined lavishly on the fine fare laid on by host club, St Joseph’s, under the guidance of super-cook Trudy Power.
Denis Power, chairman, St Joseph’s club, and Michael O’Keeffe, Vice Chairman, County Kilkenny Athletics Board, welcomed the guests and praised the achievements of the athletes during 2008. Bob Saunders, MC, echoed similar sentiments and wished the athletes continued success during 2009. Margaret Dillon, county secretary, read the citations and John Walsh, former chairman, made the presentations to the award winning athletes. For some of the athletes it was a repeat of the 2007 season, for others it was their first time achieving recognition at this level. The first presentation of the night was The Senior Cross Country Award. This went to Brian Maher, Kilkenny City Harriers (KCH ). The Senior Track & Field Award went to a juvenile athlete Aoife Hickey (KCH ). The Juvenile Cross Country Award went to Bronagh Kerins from the St Senan’s club. The Juvenile Track & Field Award was presented to Cliodhna Manning, KCH. The International Athlete Award was once again presented to Eileen O’Keeffe. Her qualification for the hammer event at the Olympics in Beijing would have been sufficient to merit this award. Unfortunately an untimely injury robbed her of the chance to perform at her best on the world stage. Fiona Dennehy, St Senan’s AC was the winner of the Race Walking Award. Jonathan Holmes, KCH, won the Junior Award for 2008.
Veteran St Joseph’s athlete Verena Fenlon won the Master’s Award.
