Final preparations are being made for the 2021 Donegal Sports Star Awards which will take place virtually this Friday night at 7.30. The Awards will be streamed live on the Donegal Sports Star Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels. It will also be streamed on their exclusive sponsor Donegal County Council’s Facebook and Twitter channels.
For the second year running the event will be presented virtually. With plenty of sporting activity from the summer onwards the committee is pleased to be able to bring in some more categories for Friday night and will be introducing a few extra features that is set to give the event added appeal.
Chairperson Grace Boyle says that the work put in by the committee in recent months will ensure that the 46th Donegal Sports Star Awards will be special most of all for the winners but also for the sporting public who watch online this Friday night. “We’re really looking forward to it now. A bit of work to finalise the presentation and we’re ready to go at 7.30 on Friday night. There has been a decent selection of sporting successes in 2021 and we’re just delighted to be in a position to honour those who will be winners on Friday night. I want to congratulate Eamon Giles who we announced last week as the Hall of Fame winner. Eamon is a most deserving recipient after giving 60 years of his life to athletics which is remarkable. The committee has put in a couple of months of hard work to produce an event that will be fitting for all those who have achieved in 2021. So I would just invite all those interested in sport across Donegal to join with us in honouring individuals and teams who done the county proud last year” Ms Boyle said.
Council looking forward to Awards
The Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive of Donegal County Council have extended their good wishes to the Donegal Sports Star Committee ahead of this Friday’s Virtual Ceremony. This year marks the 46th annual awards ceremony with the first event held in the Milford Inn in November 1976. Last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the committee very successfully adapted to organising their first ever Virtual Awards Ceremony.
The Cathaoirleach Cllr. Jack Murray, welcomed the fact that the 2021 Donegal Sports Star Awards would go ahead virtually this year given the great success of last year’s virtual ceremony. “It is so important that our sporting community across the county is acknowledged. Great credit must go to the Donegal Sports Star committee for facing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and going ahead once again with a virtual ceremony. No doubt the pandemic has changed all of our lives, how we work, and socialise, how businesses operate, and how we go about our daily life.
“However, it must be acknowledged that Covid-19 represented a major challenge for our sporting community. In this regard, I would like to especially pay tribute to the hard work and commitment of all our sports men and women during the past year. I am very proud of the fact that Donegal County Council is again the main sponsor of the awards and it’s fantastic for us to be associated with an event that means so much to the people of our county” Cllr Murray said.
The Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, John G McLaughlin said that sport is a cornerstone of life in Ireland and gave much needed relief to so many during the pandemic and throughout 2021 when times continued to be very difficult. “I am delighted as the Chief Executive of Donegal County Council to acknowledge the great work of everyone involved in planning and preparing for Friday evening’s awards. It is great to be involved in an event that honours the sporting achievements of so many within our county.The Council has been a sponsor going all the way back to 1977 and it’s great to see the Donegal Sports Star Awards celebrating their 46th anniversary.
“The decision made by the committee to go
ahead with a virtual awards ceremony again this year is very welcome in the interest of public health. I want to commend everyone involved in sport in 2021 in what again was a very challenging year for the sporting world. I applaud all our sporting volunteers, for without them there would be no sport. Hopefully next year we can return to a live awards event and I look forward in hope to a wonderful sporting year ahead. I would also commend the hard work of the organising committee.” Mr McLaughlin said.
