Two institutes of technology in Munster have been honouring their high achievers on the field of play in the presence of some of the province's sporting legends.

Cork City soccer club manager, former Gaelic footballer and Cork IT graduate Dave Barry was presented with Cork IT's "Supreme Achievement Award", at a ceremony presided over by Ray Coughlan, coach to the Ireland A rugby team.

The "Special Achievement Award" went to CIT first-year student Cian Mahoney, who has played on the combined colleges rugby team and on the Irish under-21 team which won the Triple Crown.

The group award was given to three practitioners of the martial art of Tae-kwon-do. Elaine Moran, Liam Virgo and Patrick Murphy competed against the top fighters in the world in the West African Open in Gambia earlier this year. The Sailing Club was named as club of the year, while sports officer Eithne Lydon received an award for her work in the position over the last four years. Across the border, Gaelic games commentator and Kerryman Miche al O Muircheartaigh was the guest of honour at the the annual sports evening in Tralee IT. The Kerry Person of the Year was present to see the institute's ladies Gaelic football team awarded team of the year. Tralee's sportsperson of the year was Dungarvan soccer player Colin Walsh, captain of the institute's soccer club - which saw a dramatic turnaround in its fortunes this year, progressing from being the whipping boys of college soccer to reaching the IT Shield Final - and trainer of the ladies' soccer team that won the Intervarsity Cup Final this year.