Grange’s Mona McSharry was named as the Sports Personality of the Year at Saturday’s inaugural Ocean FM Sports Awards at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Sligo.
The new ceremony was celebrating local sporting achievement in 2023 across counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo.
McSharry, who qualified this year for next summer’s Paris Olympics, finished fifth in the 100 metres breaststroke final at this year’s World Swimming Championships in Japan last July, missing out on a medal by two hundredths of a second.
She was also a triple gold medallist at the recent European under-23 championships in Dublin.
Sligo under-20 gaelic footballers stellar year was rewarded with the ‘Team of the Year’ gong – while Dillon Walsh’s fisted point in the Connacht U20 final over Galway earned him the Ocean FM Listeners Sports Moment of the year accolade.
North Sligo Athletic Club’s Mary Cullen was inducted into the Ocean FM Hall of Fame on the night.
She was presented with her award by special guest Liam Brady.
The family of Red Óg Murphy were there on the night to present the Young Sportsperson of the Year award – named ‘The Red Óg Award’ in memory of the Curry and Sligo gaelic footballers who died in 2021.
Dual player and Republic of Ireland U17 soccer player Keeva Flynn was the award’s first recipient.
The full list of award winners is follows:
Ocean FM Sports Personality of the Year
Mona McSharry (swimming)
Team of the Year
Sligo U20 gaelic footballers
Club of the Year
Sligo Rugby Club
Male Sportsperson of the Year
Derek Fox (Racing)
Female Sportsperson of the Year
Mona McSharry (swimming)
The Red Óg Award (Young Sportsperson of the Year)
Keeva Flynn (Soccer & Gaelic Football)
International Award
Brian Colsh (Rowing)
School of the Year
St Atrracta’s Community School, Tubbercurry
Listeners Sports Moment of the Year
Dillon Walsh’s fisted matchwinning point for Sligo in the Connacht U20 final
Sports Volunteer Award
Eamon Harvey (Tir Chonaill AC)
Diversity & Inclusion Award
Maggie Heylin (St Mary’s GAA Club, Sligo)
Special Achievement Award
Liam Cox (Edurance athlete)
Hall of Fame
Mary Cullen (Athletics).
