The Carlow Sports Star Awards are now just over a couple of weeks away. The award winners have been announced and now you have your chance to help pick the overall award winner, who will crowned ‘Carlow Sports Person of the Year’ at the event on Friday, March 31 in the Dolmen Hotel.

CONOR CROWLEY is the GAA Football Award winner after a stellar season with his county, as well as contributing to his club Palatine’s SFC glory. PAUL DOYLE is the hurling winner after being the model of consistency for both Carlow and St Mullins. RACHEL SAWYER is the Ladies Football Award winner after being named on the TG4 Junior Team of the Championship for her performances with Carlow, also playing the role of joint-captain as Old Leighlin won the SFC county title. KATE NOLAN is recognised as the Camogie Award winner after starring for Carlow and then helping Myshall to a Leinster Final.

It was a year of unbridled success across the county in the world of horse racing and there are three separate award winners from that sport. WILLIE MULLINS continues to set the standard of the rest to follow within National Hunt racing and takes the Horse Racing Award after another hugely successful year.

Both EMMET MULLINS and JOHN ‘SHARK’ HANLON have been recognised for their efforts with an Outstanding Achievement Award after training the winner of the English and American Grand Nationals respectively. The winning horses, Noble Yeats and Hewick, brought the attention of the international media in this part of the country.

The third of the three Outstanding Achievement Awards goes to NEW OAK BOYS after their record-breaking clean sweep of all four trophies within the Carlow Soccer League. Their star player during 2022, DEAN KELLY, takes the Men’s Soccer award while another stand-out season for KYLIE MURPHY with Wexford Youths earns her the Women’s Soccer Award.

DANNAH O’BRIEN could easily have been considered in the conversation for the Ladies’ Football Award but it will be the Women’s Rugby award that she will be taking home after she became an Irish senior International in 2022 and is now considered as one of the brightest young rugby prospects in the country. ED BYRNE takes the Men’s Rugby Award after he was part of the Irish squad that claimed a historic series win in New Zealand, as well as playing to a continuously high standard for Leinster.

Athletics Award winner MOLLY SCOTT broke a 60m indoor Irish record in 2022, and also competed at the European Indoor Championships.

Darts winner ADAM DEE is thought to be a future star within his sport and once again proved his potential in 2022, while Billiards Award winner ANNETTE NEWMAN continues to dominate her sport.

Rowing Award winner JACK KEATING joined an elite list of Irish rowers to have won twice at the Henley Royal Regatta.

DAMIEN MCGRANE takes the Golf Award after winning his third Irish PGA Championship.

Presentations will also be made on the night to:

SERVICE TO SPORT – Billy Delaney (Sponsored by Fairgeen)

SETANTA AWARD – Sean Hanafin (Sponsored by Carlow Dental Centre).

HALL OF FAME – Pat Walker (Sponsored by Michael Hosey Fruit & Veg).

The overall Sportsperson of the Year Award is sponsored by Douglas Jewellers.

The special guest on the night will be Waterford senior hurling manager and television personality, Davy Fitzgerald. There will be a raffle held on the night to raise funds for our charity partner, St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen. If you want to join us on this night of celebration of Carlow sport you can contact 086-8399110 for details on how to buy your ticket.

Voting is open from 9am on Tuesday 13 March until 5pm on Tuesday 28 March and you can pick your choice as the overall winner simply by clicking your pick from the list below: