Dublin Lions volunteer Patsy Kelleher will be recognised for her dedication to sport in her local community
Patsy to be recognised at volunteer sports awards
DUBLIN Lions volunteer Patsy Kelleher is set to be recognised at an official ceremony this Thursday along with 35 other volunteers from sports clubs across Ireland.
The Federation of Irish Sport has announced the recipients of the 2025 Volunteers in Sport Awards, supported by the Sport Ireland National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships recognising 36 exceptional volunteers from every county in Ireland (including four awardees from Dublin) for their unwavering dedication to sport and physical activity within their local communities.
The individual winners will be honoured at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 26 February 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown with Minister for Sport & Postal Policy Charlie McConalogue.
An estimated 460,000 volunteers give their time each week to support 1.47 million sports club members across Ireland, helping communities stay active, connected and engaged.
The 2025 awards attracted a record number of nominations spanning more than 49 sporting disciplines which reflect the remarkable diversity and strength of volunteering in sport and physical activity throughout Ireland.
This year’s awards will see the introduction of an inaugural community award in association with Clann Credo to highlight the breadth of volunteer commitment across the country.
A new lifetime achievement award, recognising dedication over many years of service has also been introduced this year.
The event will culminate with the announcement of the prestigious outstanding achievement award.
Patsy Kelleher of Dublin Lions will be in contention for the award after winning the Active South Dublin Volunteer of the Year award in January.
Other Dublin representatives include Ger Redmond from Coolock Running Club for Dublin City, Patrick Finnerty of Cabinteely Athletics Club representing Dublin Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown and Declan Harte of NAC Masters Swimming Club representing Fingal.
Speaking about the significance of the awards, Mary O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, said:
“The Federation of Irish Sport is delighted to honour the extraordinary volunteers who dedicate their time, passion, and energy to supporting sport and physical activity across Ireland.
‘Their commitment not only enriches Irish sport but also strengthens communities nationwide.
‘Their dedication is worth €1.5bn to the Irish economy each year. These awards provide an important opportunity to recognise the immense scale of volunteering required each week to support 1.47 million club members throughout the country.”
Sport Ireland CEO Dr Úna May said
“Volunteers are the driving force behind sport in Ireland. Their contribution helps sustain clubs and communities. From coaches to committee members, officials and event helpers, their contribution helps keep people active and connected.
“Sport Ireland research highlights the sheer scale of this commitment, with hundreds of thousands of people giving their time to support sport, including more than 268,000 involved in coaching – most of them volunteering, many with children.
‘This generosity reflects a deeply rooted culture of involvement that underpins sport right across the country.
“But of course, volunteers do far more than just support sport; they strengthen communities, foster belonging and make participation possible. Their contribution is invaluable. At Sport Ireland we’re very proud to play a role in recognising and supporting them.”
