WLRFM & Granville Hotel Sports Awards

WLR FM and the Granville Hotel are proud to announce the launch of the new WLR FM / Granville Hotel Monthly Sports Awards.

The awards replace the former WLR FM / Granville Hotel GAA Awards, with the accolades now extending to Waterford athletes who excel across all sporting codes.

Each month, an outstanding sports star will be crowned the winner of the monthly awards - before the 12 monthly recipients of the award then gather for a black-tie Gala Banquet at the Granville Hotel in January 2025, where Waterford’s first WLR / Granville Hotel Sports Star of the Year will be revealed.

The judging panel is comprised of GAA reporter and author Tomas McCarthy, Munster Express Sports Editor Catherine Power, Brid Golden of Athletics Ireland, commentator Ray Scott and Liam Cusack of the Granville Hotel - with WLR’s Jordan Norris serving as Chairperson.

Interviews with the winning athletes will be broadcast on WLR’s The Big Breakfast Blaa each month, and the recipients will be invited to a lunch at the Granville Hotel to accept their prizes.

January Winner - Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson is the first monthly winner of the newly-launched Waterford Sports Awards. The 23-year-old hockey star scored 4 goals in January, one of which was against Korea which help secure Ireland's place in the Olympics Games in Paris for only the second time.

February Winner - Kate Veale

Kate is the second winner of the Waterford Sports Awards in association with Granville Hotel and WLRFM. Kate won a seventh successive 3000m walk title at the National Senior Indoor Championships.

March Winner - Henry de Bromhead

Henry is the third winner of the Waterford Sports Awards in association with Granville Hotel and WLRFM. The Knockeen horse trainer had another tremendous Chelteham Festival, training Slade Steel to victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, while Captain Guinness was successful in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Both winners were ridden by stable jockey Rachael Blackmore.

April Winner - Jack Hearn

Congratulations to Jack Hearn, the April Winner of the WLR Granville Hotel Waterford Sports Awards! Jack represented Ireland at the Men’s European Nations Championship in Spain, and played a key part in the Irish team winning the prestigious international tournament.

May Winner - Jack O'Donoghue

Congratulations to Jack O'Donoghue, the May Winner of the WLR Granville Hotel Waterford Sports Awards! May saw Jack become the youngest ever player to make 200 appearances for Munster Rugby and was instrumental in their URC campaign.

June Winner - Thomas Barr

Congratulations to Thomas Barr, the June winner of the WLR Granville Hotel Sports Awards! June saw Thomas play an integral role in a piece of Irish athletics history - as he pwoered home to a gold medal for team Ireland at the European Athletics Championships in Rome alongside his teammates. It was the first time that any Irish athletes other than Sonia O'Sullivan had won a gold medal at the championship in 80 years. Thomas goes on to represent Team Ireland in the Paris Summer Olympics.

July Winner - Damien Vereker

Congratulations to Damien Vereker, the July winner of the WLR Granville Hotel Sports Awards! In July Damien secured his place on the Irish Paralymtpics team by winning five medals at the National Paracycling Championships alongside his pilow Michell McLoughlin. This will be his second time representing team Ireland at the Paralympics having previous done so at Rio in 2016.

WLRFM & Granville Hotel Sports Awards

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