Sportswoman awards: The inspiration for future generations has never been greater

Almost two decades on from the inaugural awards in 2004 and the sense of ever-increasing achievement and recognition of women’s sporting success was once again reflected in The Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year for 2023.

All 12 monthly winners – 15 nominees in total, representing 12 different sports – made an equal impression on the ever-widening landscape of women’s sport during the year entirely on their own merits, and entirely irrelevant of gender.

And while Katie McCabe was crowned the outright winner, the first Republic of Ireland player to captain her country at the Women’s World Cup, each of the nominees were living proof once again that never before has Irish women’s sport celebrated such a high level of success and achievement.

From Rhasidat Adeleke – the first Irish woman in history to break the 50-second barrier for 400 metres – to Katie Taylor, the previous five-time outright winner still making history in women’s boxing – the inspiration for future generations has never been greater either.

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It was one of the points made by Sport Ireland chief executive Dr Una May at the awards luncheon in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel on Friday.

“The most important thing to do is congratulate all 15 monthly winners, and of course there aren’t 15 months in the year,” said May. “But the success of Irish women in sport now is such that we have three months where we had shared winners, and that’s an incredible reflection of where we’re at.

“And 12 different sports is just a dream come true, as far as I’m concerned, because there are so many opportunities out there for women to try so many different sports, and there is something out there for everyone, multiple opportunities across multiple different sports.”

May also pointed to the role of Sport Ireland in the continued rise in Irish women’s sporting success: “Such is the growth and evolution of our high-performance sport, that we have 99 major medals at world international events this past year. And 45 of those have been won by women athletes, an absolutely phenomenal achievement and something we’re very proud of, on behalf of the athletes, and on behalf of the system that has got them there.

“This evolution is the result of the long-standing and enduring financial commitment that we’ve had from the Government, and also comes as the result of the hard work and dedication of everything that works directly within the system, from coaches to performance directors, to performance service providers, through to the backroom staff and facilitators who facilitate all the good work.”

McCabe was unable to attend the awards ceremony, her sister Vanessa accepting the award from Minister for Sport Catherine Martin on her behalf. In June, McCabe was named as Arsenal’s Player of the Season, while her winning goal against Manchester City in April won WSL Goal of the Season, as well as a nomination for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, the first Irish footballer to be nominated for the prestigious award.

“There were so many highlights, and incredible performances in women’s sport this year,” said Martin. “And what is truly impressive is the broad range of sports involved.

“All of the women being honoured through these awards have demonstrated outstanding commitment and dedication, and your brilliant performances during the year lifted the spirits of the country. You have played an inspirational role in our society, and especially to our young people.”

This year’s Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award went to former rugby player Fiona Coghlan, who captained Ireland to the Grand Slam and the country’s first women’s Six Nations championship in 2013.

Exactly a decade after she was presented with The Irish Times/Sports Ireland Sportswoman of the Year award she was back in the Shelbourne Hotel, the most deserving winner of this year’s award.

“Ah look, pre 2013, I suppose no one really knew about us,” Coghlan said. “We’d parents on the side of the pitch, a couple of dogs on the side of the pitch. But very little media recognition.

“But I suppose you do need to win something in order to get that, and in 2013, it certainly happened. But there were years in building up to that, and a lot of people of that journey who did not get the recognition. We were just the lucky ones in the end who managed to lift the trophy.”

During that 2013 campaign, Ireland beat England for the first time, before going on to beat the New Zealand Ferns for the first time at the World Cup in France the following year. That famous 17-14 win was the first time New Zealand had ever been beaten at a World Cup.

Ireland qualified for the semi-finals of that tournament, their best ever result, with Coghlan retiring shortly afterwards, after collecting 85 caps for her country. And her inspiration?

“Back then, there was no one in women’s rugby, it was my team-mates who inspired me to get up when the alarm went off at 5.30am,” she said.

Irish women’s sport has come a long way in the decade since.

Monthly Award Winners

December 2022: Eilish and Róisín Flanagan (Athletics)

January: Rhasidat Adeleke (Athletics)

February: Orla Prendergast (Cricket)

March: Rachael Blackmore (Horse Racing)

April: Thammy Nguyen (Weightlifting)

May: Lucy Mulhall (Rugby)

June: Leona Maguire (Golf)

July: Katie McCabe (Soccer)

August: Katie-George Dunlevy (Cycling) and Hannah Tyrrell (Gaelic football)

September: Ciara Mageean (Athletics) and Siobhán McCrohan (Rowing)

October: Mona McSharry (Swimming)

November: Katie Taylor (Boxing)

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