St Eunan’s Caolan Ward has been named the Player of last years Donegal Senior Football Championship.
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta announced the 29 year old as the winner of the Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh award, for his performances during the 2021 campaign, helping his club to a first senior title in seven years.
Caolan, a member of the Donegal senior team since 2016 now has three winners medals with St Eunan’s.
Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh is presented each year to the player of the Donegal Championship, as selected by a committee of 12 sports journalists in the county, chaired by Damien Ó Dónaill, Regional Manager of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. This is the first time the award has been presented since 2019 due to the pandemic.
Cathal Mac Grianna will present Caolan with the award at St Eunan’s Annual Dinner Dance on Friday.
Damien Ó Dónaill said:
“Caolan was selected for the award due to the unrelenting leadership he displayed this year in the St Eunan’s jersey. The club had a huge year, and Caolan was at the heart of that achievement. It’s wonderful that to be able to present the award again this year to such a worthy recipient, and that it will be a great friend of Séamus Mac Géidigh, Cathal Mac Grianna, a proud Gaeltacht man with a long history with St Eunan’s, who will make the presentation.”
Broadcaster Séamus Mac Géidigh was synonymous with Donegal GAA, and the voice of Gaelic Games in that county until his untimely death in 2016. This award was established to honour his memory. Recipients to date are Michael Murphy, Mark McHugh, Odhrán Mac Niallais and Ciarán Thompson.
The award was created by sculptor Redmond Herrity using Donegal Granite carved in the shape of Errigal, with an image of Séamus engraved to the front.
