Reflecting on the year, Michelle Tanner, Director of Sport, and Physical Activity at Trinity College Dublin commented on the night, “We are honoured to be here this evening to celebrate the extraordinary achievements, commitment and dedication of our sports clubs and sporting community at Trinity College Dublin. It is so important to celebrate and take pride in all your achievements over the last year. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate every student athlete, administrator, volunteer, club member, team, alumni, coach, and club nominated this evening for a Trinity Sport Award. I would also like to thank our sporting colleagues and friends throughout the University, who continue to support our student sporting endeavours.”
The highly coveted Sport Person of the Year Award went to Irish Rugby International and Leinster Rugby Player, Joe McCarthy. Joe has had a sensational sporting year. He made his Rugby World Cup debut for Ireland and won the ‘Player of the Match’ award in his first ever Six Nations match against France, while going on to win the Six Nations Championship with the Irish Rugby squad. Over the weekend, he was part of the Leinster squad who beat Northampton Saints at Croke Park to reach the Champions Cup Final which will take place on May 25th, 2024. He has done all this while studying Global Business at Trinity College Dublin.
The ‘Team of the Year’ Award went to Trinity Women’s Soccer Team. They have had an outstanding year winning every competition they have entered. They have won: CUFL Division 1 Cup, WSCAI Challenge Cup, WEFT European tournament (took place in Paris) and the CUFAI Division 1 Intercollegiate League. They are now promoted to the Premiere division for the 2024/25 season with exciting plans to build on their amazing year. The ‘Performance of the Year’ Award went to Trinity Men’s Soccer Team for their Collingwood Cup semi-final performance and to Trinity women’s basketball team for winning the women’s basketball intervarsity title. The ‘Club of the Year’ Award was awarded to Trinity Sailing Club. On top of huge success on the water, Trinity Sailing club has also launched a ‘Women at the Helm’ initiative to encourage more female participation in their sport. Voted by the students at Trinity College Dublin, the ‘Communications and Impact’ Award was awarded to Trinity GAA.
The ‘contribution to sport’ award was presented to Kay Bowen by Tony Smeeth, Director of Rugby at Trinity College Dublin. Kay has dedicating over twenty-five years to Trinity Rugby, she was elected as Trinity Rugby’s first female president in 2011 / 12, becoming the first female president of an Irish University Rugby Club. To mark this, the Irish Universities Rugby Union founded an women’s rugby intervarsity competition, naming it ‘The Kay Bowen Cup’.
The full list award winners are as follows:
- Sport Person of the Year Winner – Joe McCarthy (Rugby)
- Performance of the Year Winner – Trinity Men’s Soccer Team (Collingwood Cup Semi Final) and Trinity Basketball (Intervarsity women’s title win)
- Team of the Year Winner – Trinity Women’s Soccer Team
- Club of the Year Winner – Trinity Sailing Club
- Club Officer of the Year Winner – Ciara Mulligan (Trinity Ladies Hockey)
- Coach of the Year Winner – Caitriona Quinn (Trinity Trampoline)
- Volunteer of the Year Winner – Tom Comer (Student activator)
- Alumni of the Year Winner – Moira Flahive (Trinity Rugby)
- Inclusive Club Award Winner – Canoe and Kayak Club
- Communications and Impact Award Winner – Trinity GAA (across all clubs)
- Trinity Sport ‘Member of The Year’ Winner – Nigel Carroll
- Contribution to Sport Award – Kay Bowen (Trinity Rugby)
In addition to the Sport Awards, the University Pinks were announced on the night including:
- Liam Corcoran – Volleyball
- Ailis Wynne – Volleyball
- Conor Orr – Climbing
- Eoin Sullivan – Golf
- William Mac Donald Hughes – Fencing
- Sarah Kenny – Basketball
- Gavin Hoey – Cricket
- Grace Healy – Rowing
- Erwin Guan – Badminton
The University Pinks are awarded to student athletes who have shown outstanding individual merit in their chosen sport – in much the same vein as a ‘Blue’ is allocated in Oxford and Cambridge. Pinks is the highest sporting achievement that Trinity can bestow upon its students, recipients are chosen by the Trinity sport club captains. Over 1,250 students have received the prestigious accolade since its inception in 1927.