Aisling Hanly chosen as 2023 Special Achievement winner
Aisling Hanly will be the recipient of the 2023 Roscommon Herald/SuperValu Special Achievement award.
One of the county’s most inspirational, skillful and popular young ladies’ footballers will receive the Special Achievement award at the Roscommon Herald/SuperValu Sportstar of the Year banquet on Friday, March 8th, in the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon Town.
Aisling Hanly came to prominence nationally early in March 2023 when, ahead of the Convent of Mercy’s All-Ireland schools’ football final, she revealed to the nation in a powerful interview that that she was born profoundly deaf — eight years after her sister, Róisín, received the same diagnosis.
However, equipped with cochlear implants and her unmistakable scrum cap, Aisling has never let her disability define her and is inspiring a generation of sportspeople, both young and old, to dream big and conquer their goals in life.
Aisling captained the Convent of Mercy to last year’s All-Ireland success, scoring 1-2 in the final.
At just 19 years of age, she has won two senior ladies’ football medals with her club, Kilbride, including being chosen as Player of the Match in the 2019 replay.
She has represented Roscommon at underage and adult levels, winning a Connacht intermediate and Division Three League title with the county intermediate ladies’ football team.
She has been part of the Irish Deaf Futsal squad since she was 13, representing her country at two European Championships and one World Cup.
Described as a wonderful team-mate, Aisling inspires those around her, on and off the field.
Aisling will join 14 monthly winners at next month’s gala awards night where the Overall, Junior and Team of the Year will be announced.
The 14 monthly winners are: Rory Carthy (handball), Creggs junior rugby squad (rugby), Convent of Mercy senior ladies’ football panel (ladies’ football), Charles Nevin (soccer), Olivia Costello (golf), Roscommon minor camogie panel (camogie), St. Joseph’s U-15 boys’ soccer squad (soccer), Enda Smith (Gaelic football), Aoife O’Rourke (boxing), Richael Timothy (paracycling), Michael Glaveys intermediate men’s rounders team (rounders), Boyle senior ladies’ football panel (ladies’ football), Dara Bruen (Gaelic football) and Brian Stack (Gaelic football).
Nina Carberry has been confirmed as special guest for the awards night where the late Marie McAleer will, posthumously, receive the Hall of Fame award and Ireland women’s soccer international, Heather Payne, will be presented with the 2023 Outstanding Achievement award.
For ticket information, contact Claire Morgan on 086 2395156.
