The GAA’s MacNamee Awards which honour some of the outstanding contributions made in the area of media and communications take place in Croke Park tomorrow.
And among those being recognised is Laois woman Cliona Foley in recognition “of a lifetime of excellence in Gaelic games coverage”. She is being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“Clíona Foley is a trail blazer,” said a statement from the GAA today.
“She was the first woman to cover Gaelic games in a national newspaper and continues to be an inspirational presence in Irish media.
“Born and raised in Abbeyleix and educated in Kilkenny and Mountrath, Clíona initially qualified as a PE and English teacher from Thomond College before pursuing her dream of becoming a sports journalist with a post-grad in NIHE Dublin, now DCU School of Journalism.
“During an eight-week placement with Independent newspapers Clíona’s journalistic talents were championed by Group Sports Editor Pat Courtney and Evening Herald Sports Editor PJ Cunningham, and she became a fulltime member of the sports desk in 1990.
“Inspired by the style of American sports writers she enjoyed on working holidays in the US while a teacher, Clíona’s expert eye for describing the colour of epic match days in Clones, Castlebar, Cork and Croke Park made her an invaluable part of the Independent and Herald’s Championship coverage.
“Clíona’s passion for all sports made her a versatile asset for many years and, since leaving the Independent Group in 2015, she has continued to cover a variety of sports across all manner of platforms.
“She has worked at eight Olympiads across Summer, Winter and Paralympic Games, and been a strong advocate for increasing the coverage and awareness of female sport.
“She was the first woman to cover the GAA in the national print media and her commitment to excellence in that coverage has ensured she was not the last, inspiring more women to follow in her footsteps.”
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