Fanagan receives top Irish sporting volunteer award

Sally Ann Fanagan was honoured yesterday afternoon with the Adult Manager of the Year Award at the Irish Sport Council’s National Awards to Volunteers in Sport in the Aviva Stadium.

Fanagan was awarded the gong following an amazing service to Irish hockey, taking over as the Irish senior women’s team manager in 2006. During her tenure, she amassed 155 caps before she retired in June, taking in three European championships, two Olympic qualifiers, two Champions Challenge campaigns and one World Cup qualifier. Also in attendance at the awards lunch were Irish senior internationals Lisa Jacob, Alex Speers and Emma Gray and IHA President Daphne Hall. Speaking following the ceremony, IHA CEO, Mike Heskin said: “We are delighted that Sally Ann has received the Adult Manager of the Year award. It is an award which she richly deserves following a long and unselfish service to the game.” The awards are a collaboration between the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Irish Sports Council and the Federation of Irish Sport which represents over 70 sports in Ireland. In attendance at the event was Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring who acknowledged the exceptional work of the honoured volunteers in Sport “For me all our winners epitomise true sportsmen and women who not alone get a great deal out of sport but perhaps just as importantly put a huge amount into sport,” he said. Words: Stephen Findlater/The Hook