September 29, 2019
Irish athletes Brendan Hyland (Swimming), Clare Cryan (Diving) and Nicole Turner (Para) were tonight named Performance Athletes of the Year at the Swim Ireland Awards in Carton House, Maynooth. Hyland for his performance at World Championships where he place 11th in the 200m Butterfly in a new Irish Record, Cryan claimed Ireland’s first ever international diving medal in November in the 3M Springboard, while just two week’s ago, Nicole Turner won 50m Butterfly Bronze at the World Para Swimming Championships.
Junior swimmers Eoin Corby and Molly Mayne collected the Performance Pathway Awards, Corby made finals at both European and World Junior Championships and set 9 Irish Junior Records this season while Mayne was awarded for her double bronze at the European Youth Olympic Festival in July.
St. Vincent’s Water Polo Club were named Club of the Year, the Glasnevin based club won both the Men’s and Women’s Irish Senior Cups in 2019 as well as many other honours. The Outstanding Contribution to Water Polo Award went to Half Moon’s Shane Moraghan, who sadly passed away in 2018, after a lifetime of involvement in the game.
There were two inductees into the Swim Ireland Hall of Fame. Gary O’Toole, Ireland’s first ever international medallist and Gerry Foley (RIP), a stalwart of Irish Masters Swimming for over 50 years join a list of individuals who have made their mark within Irish Aquatics while ESBs Jimmy Reilly was awarded the President's Award from outgoing President Declan Harte.
Other award winners included; Ben Higson and Dave Malone, who were named Performance Coaches of the Year; Mary Dunne, National Volunteer of the Year; Aisling Beacom, Disability Swimmer of the Year and Liffey Swim winner Mark Hanley who received the Open Water Swimmer of the Year Award.
Speaking at the event Swim Ireland CEO Sarah Keane said ‘We are delighted to come together each year to celebrate the success of our athletes and to honour those that have helped them to get there. It is important to recognise all who are involved in the journey of our athletes and share and celebrate the success of the past year.’
2019 Swim Ireland Award Winners
| Overall Club of the Year | St Vincent's WPC |
| Connacht Club of the Year | Atlantic Masters SC |
| Leinster Club of the Year | St. Vincent's WPC |
| Munster Club of the Year | Kenmare Bay SC |
| Ulster Club of the Year | Ards ASC |
| Performance Athlete of the Year (Swimming) | Brendan Hyland |
| Performance Athlete of the Year (Diving) | Clare Cryan |
| Performance Athlete of the Year (Para Swimming) | Nicole Turner |
| Special Recognition Award | Shane Ryan |
| Performance Pathway Athlete of the Year Female (Swimming, Diving, Para) | Molly Mayne |
| Performance Pathway Athlete of the Year Male (Swimming, Diving, Para) | Eoin Corby |
| Performance Coach of the Year (Swimming) | Ben Higson |
| Performance Coach of the Year (Para & Diving) | Dave Malone |
| Performance Pathway Coach of the Year (Swimming, Diving, Para) | John Szaranek |
| Team Coach of the Year | Davy Johnston |
| Tesco Finest Club Volunteer of the Year (Connacht) | Niki Henson |
| Tesco Finest Club Volunteer of the Year (Leinster) | Jeff & Sue Phillips |
| Tesco Finest Club Volunteer of the Year (Munster) | Mary Phelan |
| Tesco Finest Club Volunteer of the Year (Ulster) | Ian Wright |
| National Volunteer of the Year | Mary Dunne |
| Tesco Finest Disability Swimmer of the Year | Aisling Beacom |
| Official of the Year | Helen Desmond |
| Open Water Swimmer of the Year | Mark Hanley |
| Masters Outstanding Achievement Award | Francis McAlinden |
| Outstanding Contribution to Water Polo | Shane Moraghan |
| President’s Award | Jimmy Reilly |
| Hall of Fame | Gary O'Toole |
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| Gerry Foley |
