Echo Leading Lights Sports Awards 2020: Ruth Gavigan, Volunteer Award
ONE OF Crumlin GAA Club’s great servants, Ruth Gavigan was, this year, honoured for her tremendous work.
A former camogie player with Crumlin, she has continued to give a huge amount to the club by way of coaching camogie, fundraising and always welcoming new members into the club.
Ruth Gavigan of Crumlin GAA Club is presented with ‘The Echo 2020 Sports Volunteer’ Award by Mayor of South Dublin County, Ed O’Brien and Ian Farrell, South Dublin County Sports Partnership, in the Green Isle Hotel on Thursday Photos by Paddy Barrett
Together with her husband Ger, Ruth has organised the Jim Boggan Memorial Cycle for the past six years and this year (on Jim’s 11th anniversary) it could not take place due to Covid-19.
Still they were not to be beaten by the crises and, with the help of Paul O’Brien, both Ruth and Ger organised an event in which members were invited online to cycle 50 miles or 50km or for 50 minutes to help also mark the club’s 50th anniversary.
The juvenile section also got involved by way of cycling on speed rollers for 50 minutes, the entire event adhering to Covid guidelines.
“The Jim Boggan Memorial Cycle is a massive club event and source of immense pride for everyone in the club and in the whole area and it also raises a lot of funds to keep our club going so it was badly missed this year” said club member Aine Davis.
“We replaced the Memorial Cycle this year with a 50/50 to mark the club’s 50th anniversary. Every single social distancing rule was adhered to over that weekend and it was a brilliant success. It’s all down to Ruth’s hard work and sheer determination” she added.
Delighted to be among five sports volunteers to be honoured by The Echo, at Thursday’s presentation in the Green Isle Hotel, Ruth said “It’s a great honour for me. I’m delighted.
“I’ve been with the club for years and years. I played with them and now I’m coaching and I’m involved in everything so I’m delighted and really proud to receive this award.
“It’s been a tough year. This year 2020 is our 50th year for Crumlin GAA so it was supposed to be a huge year with loads of celebrations and sure none of them could happen.
“But everyone just rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in. I would be involved with the camogie team as well and our main priority was to keep them on the field where possible, with social distancing. Keeping them playing games, training and doing stuff.
“It was so important for their mental health, just being together even socially. Just doing normal things during this time. And we managed to do it across the board, which was brilliant.
“It’s been really difficult, but it makes you realise what the club is all about.
“Hopefully in 2021 we can get back to some normality. Hopefully we can get back to playing matches, looking at matches and just doing what we love doing with the club.”
By subscribing to The Echo you are supporting your local newspaper Click Here: Echo Online.
TAGS Sport
