The GAA has announced the recipients of Gradaim an Uachtaráin 2025 and Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club and all in its care are over the moon that Mary Geaney is on that special list.
Gradaim an Uachtaráin 2024 will be broadcast this Friday night live on TG4 at 7.30pm
These prestigious annual awards, organised with the support of AIB and broadcast by TG4, are made by GAA President Jarlath Burns to acknowledge outstanding commitment and long service across the club and county network.
Mary Geaney is the epitome of the criteria outlined above and she’s as much part of the street-scape of her native town as the light poles and lamp standards and especially from mid October until almost Christmas when collecting for her Ladies Gaelic Football Association branch.
The citation for Mary Geaney’s selection is as follows:
Mary Geaney, LGFA
From the Castleisland Desmond’s club in Kerry, Mary Geaney was one of the most recognised LGFA players in the early years and captained her county to All-Ireland success in 1976.
She also won camogie honours with the county and represented Ireland in field hockey.
She raised the profile of her club Castleisland Desmonds, firstly as a player and now as a member of the senior management team which reached the 2024 AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Semi-Final.
As a member of management, she is inspiring girls to get involved not only as players but in running the club and fundraising.
Volunteering Above and Beyond
She spends hours fundraising and her drive and determination motivates so many other members of her club and she goes above and beyond in all aspects as a volunteer.
She is a valued role model for everyone in the area and sets a truly inspirational example that for all that she achieved in her own illustrious playing days, she is committed to giving back and ensuring that future generations have the opportunity play and to be a part of a club and the sense of community that it gives.
Always About People – Jarlath Burns
The award recipients are a cross-section of people who have shared the common theme of providing extraordinary service and commitment to the development of Gaelic games.
There are provincial, educational, and Irish language awards, as well as awards recognising contributions made to Ladies football, Camogie, World GAA, and Handball.
Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns said: “It is often said that while the GAA is about Games, it is, in truth, always about people.
Powering the GAA
These awards present us with an opportunity to shine a light on a small group of inspirational people who in their own right are ambassadors for the thousands of volunteers who power the GAA.
“I am delighted that for my first Gradaim an Uachtaráin we have assembled a diverse list of people who each have made a lasting contribution to ensuring that the promotion of Gaelic games go from strength to strength. I congratulate all of our worthy recipients and wish to acknowledge the support of TG4 and AIB for this scheme,” said President Burns.
Thanks to Aileen Lynch for the MG Gradam Alert.
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