Corkery and Buckley take top women’s sport award

Such was this year’s broad scale of excellence, there couldn’t only be one winner.

So when Briege Corkery and Rena Buckley were both recognised with the Irish Times/ Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year award for 2015, there couldn't be any complaints either.

It was entirely fitting given their achievements were simply inseparable: Corkery and Buckley played starring roles in the Cork teams that won both the All-Ireland camogie and women’s football titles last September, and with that wrote their names into the annals of Irish sporting history.

It brought their individual All-Ireland medal tallies to 16 – six each in camogie and 10 each in football – and no GAA player has ever won more than that.

They were also the first joint-winners of the award, now in its 11th season, beating off the other 11 monthly award winners, including boxer Katie Taylor, golfer Leona Maguire, rugby players Sophie Spence and Niamh Briggs, and jockey Katie Walsh.

“You’re always wondering who would come up as the winner, so when both our names were called out, it was a shock, to be honest,” said Corkery, who was actually the previous outright winner of the award all of 10 years ago.

“I definitely didn’t expect it.”

Buckley agreed entirely: “Sure it’s an honour just to be in this room with all these athletes,” she said. “We’re hugely honoured to be in amongst them.”

Their careers have been largely inseparable too, both playing together for the first time as fifth-class primary school students in Cork. Their commitment is equally complete too, and although essentially amateurs (Buckley works full-time as a physiotherapist, Corkery as a dairy farmer), there is simply no let-up in their schedule.

“It would be hectic, I suppose,” Corkery told the awards luncheon at Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel. “Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday is camogie, then Wednesday, Friday, Sunday is football. And on the Monday we both try to turn up to club training, as often as we can.

Dual thing

“But we’re used to people talking about the whole dual thing, and try not to take any notice of it. I suppose I didn’t think at all about the 16th medal. I was more worried about playing Dublin again, in the football final.”

Both still only 28, and there’s every chance they’ll be hunting for All-Ireland medals 17 and 18 in the summer of 2016.

“Well, I haven’t fully made up my mind yet,” said Corkery. “But I suppose we’ll chance it, maybe.”

Again, Buckley agreed entirely: “With the camogie team, we feel like we’ve lost a couple of All-Ireland finals too. That will always keep you hungry. But everyone involved in sport knows that it is hard work that gets you places like that. And next year when you start back training it’s about trying to forget days like this, and get back into the hard training again, start afresh. That’s the key to it really.”

All of the monthly winners were present at the awards (including two joint-monthly winners), and speaking via video link from the European Council in Brussels, Taoiseach Enda Kenny paid tribute to each of them for their achievements and also for the encouragement they give to women in sport at all levels

“The number of women and young girls involved in sport is rising year on year,” said Kenny. “This is great news and we want that number to rise even further. And with your example and your encouragement, it will.

Tremendous contribution

"I'm delighted therefore to see your tremendous contribution to sport and to life in our country recognised in awards like this. Let me commend The Irish Times for its vision and tenacity, in honouring our sportswomen, and promoting women's sport in general. I want to congratulate every one of the recipients. Good luck in all you do, and from the Government and the people of Ireland, well done. Take a bow, and thank you."

Malachy Logan, sports editor of The Irish Times, pointed to the improved coverage of women's sport across all media platforms, but added that more could be done.

“Participation levels in women’s sport continue to increase and interest levels are also forging ahead,” he said. “Now it’s our job in the media to reflect that growth, and although things are improving, it’s still not good enough.

“Addressing the inequity in coverage of women’s sport compared to its male counterpart should not be that difficult.

“Let’s be honest, appreciating the athletic endeavours of half the world’s population shouldn’t require an evangelist. If this problem is going to be fixed, men – particularly those in the media – are going to have to get over themselves. Me included.

Dedicated pages

"In mitigation, for our part in The Irish Times, we recently launched dedicated pages every Thursday to women's sport and these have been very well received. They offer a great insight into our top sportswomen and the dedication, ambition and passion they bring to their disciplines.

“This significant step in developing our sports coverage wouldn’t have happened without the support of my editorial colleagues, particularly those in the sports department. It’s our ambition to build on this success in 2016 and continue to develop and improve our coverage in print and online.”

Logan also paid tribute to the work of award sponsors Sport Ireland, and said their bold and imaginative approach was the main reason the profile of women’s sport continues to grow and grow.

Catherina McKiernan was also honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Women’s Sport 2015 Award.

The Cavan woman dominated cross-country running in the early 1990s, winning silver in the World Cross Country Championships four years in succession between 1992 and 1995, as well as claiming gold in the inaugural European Cross Country Championships in 1994.

McKiernan later won the London, Berlin and Amsterdam marathons, and still holds the Irish record with her time of 2:22:23.

“Talent is nothing really without hard work,” said McKiernan. “And also self-belief.”

Perfectly summing up the often hidden backdrop to the broad scale of excellence achieved by each of the monthly winners.