The Gaelic Writers’ Association annual awards took place on Friday evening in association with EirGrid at Dublin’s Iveagh Garden Hotel.
Kilkenny were honoured on the double with Hurler of the Year nominee TJ Reid and Grace Walsh, from the famous Tullaroan hurling family, who played a prominent role in her county’s second All-Ireland camogie crown in three years, winning their respective Personality of the Year awards.
Reid also had a memorable club season as Ballyhale Shamrocks marked their golden jubilee with a fifth successive county title. And although 2022 started with their losing the All-Ireland final to Ballygunner by a last-seconds goal, they bounced back to extend their record with a ninth Tommy Moore trophy a month ago.
Derry’s accomplished All Star defender Chrissy McKaigue and Meath’s influential forward Emma Duggan took the football awards after winning the Ulster title and retaining the All-Ireland respectively.
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Other awards include Brian Carthy, formerly RTÉ’s long-serving Gaelic games correspondent who was recognised for lifetime achievement, and the PRO of the Year went to Sligo’s Pádraig McKeon.
This year’s GWA Hall of Fame winners were in football, Willie Bryan, captain of the first Offaly team to win Sam Maguire and Mary Jo Curran, 10-time Kerry All-Ireland medallist; Cyril Farrell, Galway’s All-Ireland winning manager, was inducted in hurling and Cork’s Linda Mellerick, holder of six All-Ireland medals and a Team of the Century laureate in 2004.
