Millie Condon proud to win Paudie Palmer Youth Award

BECOMING the first-ever West Cork Sports Star Paudie Palmer Youth Award winner made the accolade even more special for Millie Condon at the Celtic Ross Hotel.

2022 was an amazing year for the rising Cork LGFA and camogie dual star.

Condon claimed an All-Ireland schools’ senior C football title with Sacred Heart Clonakilty. The Ballinascarthy camogie player and Clonakilty footballer won Munster and All-Ireland minor medals as part of the Cork LGFA and camogie panels.

Finishing the year as Munster LGFA Young Player of the Year put the seal on a remarkable 12 months before the West Cork Sports Star Paudie Palmer Youth Award was added to Condon’s growing collection.

‘It is a really big deal for me to be in the same room as Libby Coppinger and Saoirse McCarthy (at tonight’s awards),’ the rising Cork dual star told The Southern Star.

‘Paul O’Donovan is here as well so I’m rubbing shoulders with some serious sports stars. Women in sport are getting better all the time thanks to the work of The Southern Star and also the late Paudie Palmer.’

2022 Paudie Palmer Youth Award winner Millie Condon with her parents Jack Condon, Clare Collins and grandmother Marguerite Condon.

The late C103 broadcaster and commentator would certainly have approved of the first winner of his retitled Youth Sports Star Award.

These are busy times for Condon. The 17-year-old arrived for the recent West Cork Sports Star Awards ceremony at the Celtic Ross Hotel having helped Cork defeat Waterford 3-14 to 1-4 in the Munster LGFA minor championship earlier that afternoon.

Having received her award from guest of honour Brian Cody and chatted with the legendary former Kilkenny senior hurling manager, Condon had to leave the awards ceremony early. That’s because she had to be up early on the Sunday morning to travel to Dublin with the Cork minor camogie panel. There, the Rebels overcame Dublin 3-21 to 0-8 and got the defence of their Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor A Camogie championship title off to the best possible start.

‘The fact that this award is named after Paudie Palmer means a lot,’ Condon added.

‘Paudie played a really big part in promoting women in sport. He was publicising a lot about our school matches last year. So, yeah, it is definitely special to receive an award that is named after Paudie Palmer.’

Condon is entering her final year as a minor in both camogie and LGFA. Lining out for the Ballinascarthy juniors and Clonakilty seniors, later this year, will see the young award winner attempt to make her mark at adult level on a regular basis.

‘How do I keep it all going? You just try to take things in your stride and take each day as it comes. Right now, it is ok. I have seen other dual players dealing with the same kind of things at senior level. So, I guess that shows that it can be done. You just have to prove to yourself that you can,’ she added.