The 2022 Celtic Ross Hotel West Cork Sports Star Awards will be held on Saturday night, March 11th.
These awards run by the Celtic Ross Hotel, The Southern Star and C103 are the biggest and best local sports awards in the country and have been going strong since 1998. These hugely popular awards celebrate the finest sportspeople in West Cork and salute their incredible achievements.
Over 330 monthly awards have been handed out to the finest local athletes since the inception of the Celtic Ross West Cork Sports Star Awards in 1998.
Since Donal O’Donovan won the very first monthly award in March 1998 – himself and Pat Lordan were the first local crew to win the overall prize in the West Cork Rally – the West Cork Sports Star Awards have championed and saluted the region’s talents sportsmen and sportswomen.
For the record, here are all the West Cork Sports Star monthly winners from 1998-2021, plus the winners each year. It will bring back some great memories for the local sports people who have all made a big impression.
1998: March – Donal O’Donovan (motorsport); April – Tommy Murphy (athletics); May – Gretta Cormican (road bowling); June – John Crowley (GAA); July – Dominic Casey (rowing); August – Michael Keohane (motorsport); September – Michael McCarthy (hurling); October – Padraig O’Regan (Gaelic football); November – Cora Keohane (camogie); December – John Caulfield (soccer). Winner: Gretta Cormican.
Monthly winners pictured at the very first Celtic Ross West Cork Sports Star awards in 1998.
1999: January – Declan Hayes (Gaelic football); February – Denis O’Driscoll (coursing); March – Breda Dennehy-Willis (athletics); April – Liam Nash (camogie); May – Ciarán O’Sullivan (Gaelic football); June – Darren Couglan (athletics); July – Micheál O’Sullivan (Gaelic football); August – Kenneth McCarthy and Kevin O’Donovan (rowing); September – Philip Clifford (Gaelic football); October – Fachtna Collins (Gaelic football); November – Kieran Hurley (hurling); December – Jerry Hegarty (road bowling). Winner: Philip Clifford.
2000: January – Terry Dillon (rugby); February – Gerard O’Connell (motorsport); March – Paul O’Brien (soccer); April – Damien O’Neill (Gaelic football); May – Ray Payne (karate); June – Louise Daly (road bowling); July – Patricia Donegan (equestrian sport); August – Damien Cogan (rowing); September – Conrad Murphy (GAA); October – Bill Daly (road bowling); November – Finbarr Lynch (GAA); December – Robert Tyner (horse racing). Winner: Patricia Donegan.
2001: January – Carmel McCarthy-Crowley (athletics); February – John Shanahan (trotting); March – Noel Fehily (horseracing); April – Kevin O’Regan (rugby); May – Alan Johnson (rugby/hurling); June – Pat Hegarty (Gaelic football); July – Michael Collins (GAA referee); August – Timmy Harnedy (rowing); September – John Paul O’Callaghan (hurling); October – Dan McCarthy (Gaelic football); November – Paddy Nealon (Gaelic football); December – Brian O’Sullivan (Gaelic football). Winner: Michael Collins.
2002: January – Christina Murphy (road trotting); February – Maria Coleman (sailing); March – Sean Levis (Gaelic football); April – Michael Keohane (motorsport); May – Maeve Quirke (rugby); June – Owen Sexton (Gaelic football); July – Tom Collins (greyhound racing); August – Revelin Minihane (sailing); September – Jennifer O’Leary (camogie); October – Barry O’Driscoll (hurling); November – Dinsy Whelton (Gaelic football); December – Graham Canty (Gaelic football). Winner: Jennifer O’Leary.
2003: January – Neasa O’Keeffe (basketball); February – Colin Crowley (Gaelic football); March – Stevie Collins (soccer); April – Eimear O’Sullivan (rugby); May – Garrett O’Donovan (karate); June – Michael O’Grady (Special Olympics); July – Helen Whyte (road bowling); August – Eugene Coakley and Tim Harnedy (rowing); September – Anne Regan (ladies’ football); October – James McCarthy (Gaelic football); November – Kieran Daly (Gaelic football); December – Micheál O’Sullivan (Gaelic football); Winners: Eugene Coakley and Tim Harnedy.
2004: January – Seanie McGrath (Paralympic Games sailor); February – Thomas O’Leary (horse trainer); March – Tyrone Taiepa (rugby); April – Micheál Duggan (trotting); May – Cathrach Keane (Gaelic football); June – Pat Curran (schoolboys’ soccer); July – Louise Collins (road bowling); August – Eugene Coakley (rowing); September – Johnny McCarthy (Paralympian); October – John Corcoran (Gaelic football); November – Gabriel O’Sullivan (hurling); December – Alan Galvin (Gaelic football). Winner: Johnny McCarthy.
2005: January – Paddy Nealon (Gaelic football); February – John Hayes (Gaelic football); March – Michael Paul Hicks (Gaelic football); April – John McSweeney (road trotting); May – Declan Deasy (soccer); June – Darren O’Hea (darts); July – Timmy Harnedy and Eugene Coakley (rowing); August – Liam Young (rowing); September – Elaine Burke (camogie); October – Nollaig Cleary (ladies’ football); November – Barry Harte (hurling); December – Damian Dooley (Gaelic football). Winners: Eugene Coakley and Tim Harnedy.
2006: January – Cait O’Donovan (tae-kwon-do); February – John Murphy (horse trainer); March – Raymond Hurley (horse trainer); April – Derek Dillon (rugby); May – Colm O’Driscoll (Gaelic football); June – Emma Fitzpatrick (road bowling); July – Luke O’Donovan (sailing); August – Billy Flaherty (athletics); September – Jennifer O’Leary (camogie) and Nollaig Cleary (ladies’ football); October – Mickey Burns (Gaelic football); November – Denis Healy (hurling) and Darragh Carey (Gaelic football); December – Donal Murphy (harness racing). Winner: Nollaig Cleary.
2007: January – April Cahalane (basketball); February – Noreen McSweeney (road trotting); March – Alan O’Shea (athletics); April – Don Hurley (soccer); May – Andrew O’Sullivan (Gaelic football); June – Aoife Sheehan (tae-kwon-do); July – Micheál Fehily (Gaelic football); August – Kevin Coleman (horseracing) and Bill Daly (road bowling); September – Laura MacMahon (ladies football); October – Arthur Tobin (hurling); November – Keith Cronin (motorsport). Winner: Alan O’Shea.
2008: January – Thomas O’Leary (horse trainer); February – Padraig Courtney (soccer); March – Martin White (soccer); May – David Murphy (road bowling); July – Diarmuid Duggan (Gaelic football); August – Peter Fleming (Gaelic football); September – Rachel Moloney (camogie) and Amanda Murphy (ladies’ football); October – Kevin and Martin Kelleher (motorsport); November – Ian Kingston (kickboxing). Winner: David Murphy.
2009: January – Brian Murphy (soccer); February – Valerie O’Driscoll (basketball); March – Liam McCarthy (motorsport); April – Colm O’Driscoll (Gaelic football); May – Kevin O’Driscoll (Gaelic football); June – Keith Cronin (motorsport); July – Ross Cashman (Gaelic Games); August – John Harrington (coastal rowing); September – Timmy Anglin (Gaelic football); October – John O’Regan (greyhound racing); November – Tony Stephenson (kickboxing); December – Siobhan Lyons (ladies football). Winner: Keith Cronin.
2010: February – Rory O’Sullivan (Gaelic football); March – Noel O’Sullivan (rugby); April – Alan O’Connor (Gaelic football); May – Denis Cronin (motorsport); June – Dwayne Crowley (tae-kwon-do); July – Martin Coppinger (road bowling); August – Brian Hurley (Gaelic football) and Mike Keohane (athletics); September – Graham Canty (Gaelic football); October – John Keohane (rowing); November – Peter Brennan (hurling); December – Jim O’Sullivan (Gaelic football). Winner: Graham Canty.
Graham Canty took home the 2010 overall award.
2011: February – Kevin O’Driscoll (Gaelic football); March – David Quirke (rugby); April – Colm Cleary (soccer); May – Wayne Lordan (horseracing); June – Rob McCarthy (Gaelic football); July – Catriona Murphy (road bowling); August – Kevin Harrington (Gaelic football); October – Eoghan O’Donovan (hurling); November – Denis Griffin (rowing); December – Steve Redmond (swimming). Winner: Steve Redmond.
2012: February – Gearóid Barry (Gaelic football); March – Noel Fehily (jockey); April – Robbie Aherne (soccer); May – Graham Canty (Gaelic football) and Aidan Murphy (road bowling); June – Phil Healy (athletics) and Rachel O’Shea (athletics); September – David Nyhan (Gaelic football) and Ruthann Sheahan (athletics); October – Alan O’Regan (Gaelic football); Seanie Cahalane (Gaelic football); November – Síle Burns (camogie). Winner: Ruthann Sheahan.
2013: February – Laura Guest (rugby); March – Jason Collins (soccer); April – Jack Murphy (rugby); May – Niall O’Regan (soccer); June – Phil Healy (athletics); July – Paul O’Donovan (rowing); August – Ruairi Deane (Gaelic football); September – Nollaig Cleary (ladies’ football); October – Brian Hurley (Gaelic football); November – Cathal O’Donovan (athletics); December – Katie Cooke (triathlon). Winner: Laura Guest.
2014: February – Brian O’Driscoll (Gaelic football) and Brian Shanahan (Gaelic football); April – Gavin Sheehan (horseracing) and Melvin Beamish (hockey); June – Alex O’Shea (athletics); July – Lily de la Cour (kickboxing); September – Jennifer O’Leary (camogie) and Martina O’Brien (ladies’ football); October – John Caulfield (soccer); November – PJ Hegarty (equestrian). Winner: Jennifer O’Leary.
Jennifer O'Leary won the award in 2002 and 2014.
2015: January – Brian Morrisson (equestrian); February – Claire Sexton (camogie); March – Gavin Sheehan (horseracing); April – Timmy Crowley (rugby); May – Conor Hourihane (soccer); July – Ray Collins (Gaelic football); August – Joe O’Leary (coastal rowing); September – Gary and Paul O’Donovan (rowing), Áine Terry O’Sullivan (ladies’ football) and Orla Cronin (camogie); October – Pat Prendergast (Gaelic football) and John Crowley (hurling); November – Conor and David Harte (hockey) and Laura O’Sullivan (ladies’ football); December – Lily de la Cour (kickboxing). Winner: Lily de la Cour.
2016: January – Anna O’Neill (athletics); February – Darren Sweetnam (rugby); April – Phil Healy (athletics) and Conor Hourihane (soccer); May – Gary and Paul O’Donovan (rowing); July – John Cullinane (Gaelic football); August – Gary and Paul O’Donovan (rowing); September – Orla Finn (ladies’ football) and Darragh Coakley (hurling); October – Pat Prendergast (Gaelic football), Darren Crowley (hurling), Keith Cronin (motorsport) and James Fitzpatrick (Gaelic football); November – Mark Cronin (Gaelic football) and John Caulfield (soccer). Winners: Gary and Paul O’Donovan.
2017: February – Fineen Wycherley (rugby) and Jamie Wall (hurling); March – Noel Fehily (jockey); April – Tom Ferguson (rugby); May – Denise Walsh (rowing), Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan (rowing); June – Mike Keohane (athletics); July – Luke Meade (hurling); September – Orla Cronin (camogie) and Keith Cronin (motorsport); October – Clive Sweetnam (Gaelic football), Paul O’Donovan (rowing) and Fionn Lyden (sailing); November – Emma Spillane (ladies’ football). Winners: Shane O'Driscoll and Mark O'Donovan.
2018: January – Kellie Cahalane (basketball); February – Phil Healy (athletics); March – Regis Sonnes (rugby) and John Endersen (basketball); April –Clinton Sweetnam (hockey); June – Barry O’Driscoll (soccer) and John Murphy (golf); September – Gary & Paul O’Donovan (rowing) and Libby Coppinger (camogie); October – Saoirse McCarthy (camogie); November – Laura Sheehan (rugby), Dylan Coffey (hurling) and Ted Hegarty (road bowling). Winner: Phil Healy.
2019: February – Mark White (football) and Chris O’Leary (hurling); March – John Hodnett (rugby) and Josh Wycherley (rugby); April –Melissa Duggan (ladies’ football); April – Ian Crowley (soccer); May – Conor Hourihane (soccer); July – Darragh McElhinney (athletics); August – Peter O’Driscoll (football) and Fintan McCarthy (rowing); September – Eimear Minihane (rugby) and Joe O’Sullivan (football); October – Tony Stephenson (kickboxing); November – Enya Breen (rugby). Winner: Conor Hourihane.
2020: January – Jack Crowley (rugby); February – David Lowney (hurling); May – John Murphy (golf); August – Phil Healy (athletics) and Darragh McElhinney (athletics); September – Áine Terry O’Sullivan (GAA), Michelle O’Regan (GAA), Siobhan Courtney (GAA), Karyn Keohane (camogie), Clare O’Leary (GAA), Orla Cronin (camogie) and Lydia Heaphy (rowing); November – Gavin Coombes (rugby). Winner: Phil Healy.
Phil Healy was the 2020 Celtic Ross Hotel West Cork Sports Star of the Year Award winner.
2021: May – Emily Hegarty (rowing), Aoife Casey (rowing); June – Gavin Coombes (rugby); July – Paul O’Donovan & Fintan McCarthy (rowing), Emily Hegarty (rowing), Johnny Kelly (soccer); August – Phil Healy (athletics), Hannah Sexton (road bowling), Sean Twomey (hurling), Cathal Wilson (hurling); November – Tadgh O’Sullivan (hurling), Jane Buckley (athletics); December –Darragh McElhinney (athletics). Winner: Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy.
2022: February – Fintan Fenner (GAA); March – Mark Collins (hockey); April – Averyl Condell (rugby); May – Mike Keohane (soccer); July – Hannah Sexton (road bowling); September – Aoife Casey (rowing), Paul O’Donovan (rowing), Fintan McCarthy (rowing); October – Siobhan Courtney (GAA), Rachel Whelton (GAA), Conor Hayes (GAA); November – John Murphy (golf), Saoirse McCarthy (camogie), Libby Coppinger (camogie); December – Darragh McElhinney (athletics). Winner: ?
