The GAA has announced the recipients for Gradaim an Uachtaráin 2025. 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.

The awards 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. The Dermot Earley Family Award recipients are The McGrath Family from Sarsfields GAA Club, Galway.

Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns said: “It is often said that while the GAA is about Games, it is, in truth, always about people. 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.”

The GAA President’s Awards (Gradaim an Uachtaráin 2024) will be broadcast this Friday night live on TG4 at 7.30pm

An ever-present in the Sixmilebridge Club for more than 20 years, Joan has supported the club in various roles from managing different functions and projects, running bingo nights, church gate collections and managing the shop.

From the humble beginnings of a Club representative in a Senior Scór Quiz team in the 80s, to a Presidential Award in 2025, for Joan this has been a journey of a lifetime.

Joan joined the top table of the club in 2010 and has been a tireless servant ever since. In 2016 one of the biggest redevelopment projects ever undertaken by the Club was launched, and Joan was central to the project reaching its opening in October 2023, despite the many obstacles that arose during the Covid years. Today the Arena is almost debt free. From Bingo on a Monday night, Club Lotto on a Saturday night, fundraising on so many occasions, Strictly Come Dancing weekends, Sixmilebridge Fittest Family, Breakfast Mornings, Sale of work, County Board Tickets, Score Prediction Cards, Club Shop, Charity walks, and many other fundraising ventures, she has been an ever-present. And while Joan would be the first to point out that so many other people were there also, she was the one who kept a watchful eye on the finances.

One other thing stands out about Joan, and that is the cup of tea, the Mrs Doyle of the club, at the drop of a hat, Joan can muster up the sandwiches, the biscuits and the buns, and present them to visiting teams, officials, and match referees and his team, and always with a smile.