IRFU Spirit Of Rugby Volunteer Award Recipients 2022/23
61 rugby volunteers will be certified as valued volunteers for the 2022/23 season as part of the IRFU Spirit Of Rugby Volunteer Awards.
The awards are a new initiative to honour rugby volunteers and the values they uphold across the four provinces. Clubs and schools were invited to recognise one volunteer, subject to appropriate safeguarding and vetting criteria.
Those chosen volunteers will now receive a unique certificate signed by IRFU Chief Executive Kevin Potts to honour their value to Irish Rugby.
A volunteer from each province was also selected for special recognition by their branch at an official ceremony at the Aviva Stadium. Patricia Parfrey (Leinster) and Anne Scott (Ulster) were presented with an award at the pre-match lunch of Saturday’s game between Ireland and England. John Carr (Connacht) and Jerry Hurley (Munster) received their awards at the Ireland v France game in February.
The full list of IRFU Spirit Of Rugby Volunteer Awards winners for 2022/23 is as follows.
Connacht Clubs & Schools (8):
Daragh Quinn (Ballina); Pat Hourigan (Ballinrobe); Frank Barber (Carrick-on-Shannon); Mairead Bradley (Castlebar); Jimmy Roddy (Corrib); Dave Purcell (Creggs); Brian Harte (Galway Bay); John Carr (Tuam).
Leinster Clubs & Schools (24): Niall Murray (Ashbourne); Elaine Lynch (Athy); Steven Rhattigan (Bective Rangers); Barry White (Cill Dara); Brian Lyons (County Carlow); John Murphy (Enniscorthy); Geraldine Flannery (Garda Westmanstown); Patricia Sullivan (Gorey); Neal Murphy (MU Barnhall); David Cullivan (Navan); Sinead Griffin (North Kildare); Ailish Slack (Old Belvedere); Patricia Parfrey (Old Wesley); Cormac Smith (Port Dara); John Palmer (Ratoath); Keith Wallace (Roscrea); Peter O’Brien (Seapoint); Andrew Grace (Tallaght); Paddy Galvin (Tullamore); Niall Crowley (Wanderers); Tommy Morrissey (Wicklow); Graham Richmond (East Glendalough); Shane Howell (Kildare Town Community School); Ciarán O’Hare (O’Carolan College);
Munster Clubs & Schools (16): Robert Keane (Ballincollig); Geraldine Hicks (Bantry Bay); Brian Fitzgerald (Cork Constitution); Noel Hickey (Dolphin); Harry Love (Dunmanway); Luke Ryan (Ennis); Ger Moynihan (Killarney); Tracy McCarthy (Midleton); Liam O’Connor (Newcastle West); Michael Madden (Scariff); Jacinta Veale (Skibbereen); Jerry Hurley (Sundays Well); Colm Kerly (Thomond); Shane O’Sullivan (Tralee); Derek Rowlands (UL Bohemian); Damien Franks (Villiers School).
Ulster Clubs & Schools (13): Karen McDowell (Ballynahinch); John Mullan (Banbridge); Laura Ferguson (City of Armagh); Mark McFarland (Dungannon); Kate Boyle (Finn Valley); Anne Scott (Inishowen); Arthur James (Larne); John O’Callaghan (Monaghan); Mervyn Beattie (Omagh Academicals); Matthew Potts (Portadown); Michael Cochrane (Randalstown); David Warnock (Strabane); David Hodges (Dalriada School Ballymoney).