Late Marie McAleer to be honoured at this year’s sportstar awards

The late Marie McAleer, widely regarded as Roscommon LGFA’s most committed and outstanding administrator, will be remembered at this year’s Roscommon Herald/SuperValu Sportstar of the Year awards in the Abbey Hotel on Friday, March 8th.

Marie, who gave a lifetime of service to ladies’ football — both locally and nationally — passed away in December 2022.

She will be awarded the 2023 Roscommon Herald/SuperValu Hall of Fame award, posthumously, at the awards ceremony next month. Members of her family, including her husband Tiernan and daughters Amy and Kara, will collect the award in her memory.

Marie was elected the first chairperson of Roscommon LGFA in June 1974, but it didn’t take long for her local expertise and love of ladies’ football to be replicated at national level.

A month later, on July 18th, Hayes’ Hotel in Thurles was the venue for the formation of the inaugural Central Council committee of the Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) where Marie was elected vice-chairperson.

Her greatest memory was seeing Roscommon defeat Tipperary in the 1978 All-Ireland senior ladies’ football final on a scoreline of 2-3 to 0-5 at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe.

In 1980, Marie stepped away from the administration side of things before becoming involved in the formation of Roscommon Gaels LGFA in 2000, having originally been an integral part of St. Croan’s GAA Club.

In 2004, she was appointed Connacht Council delegate before returning to her role as a Central Council delegate in 2006. She was secretary of Roscommon LGFA from 2009 until she stepped down at the 2022 AGM on December 6th.

Her contribution to ladies’ football was recognised with a prestigious GAA President’s award in February 2018.

“You don’t have a given right to be in this job. I’ll pass on the baton to someone else at some stage. If we won an All-Ireland in the next few years, I’d happily move on and give someone younger a crack at it.

“I’ve always wanted what’s best for Roscommon ladies’ football. I’ve always loved it, and it follows on that you should try to make further progress to ensure it keeps getting better and better,” she told the Roscommon Herald in 2020.

At the time of her death, Ladies Gaelic Football Association President, Mícheál Naughton, said that Marie has provided years of incredible service to the Association.

“Marie was a tireless worker on behalf of the LGFA, a wonderful player in her day and an administrator who went above and beyond the call of duty,” he said.

Roscommon LGFA described Marie as a “gifted lady” whose “natural instinct was kindness and generosity towards others, noting that she had been at the heart of her club, county and province for the past five decades.

“Since becoming involved in ladies’ football, there has been no area that Marie was not involved in — supporter, player, manager, coach, steward, chairperson, committee member, caterer, jersey washer, referee, to name but a few.

“Meeting Marie, you were assured to be greeted by her trademark smile, bubbly personality, and professional manner which endeared her to all her family, friends, and the sporting world and beyond. She was a gifted lady whose natural instinct was kindness and generosity towards others. She was a role model to everybody.” 

Fourteen monthly awards winners — 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) — will also be honoured on the night.

Details of this year’s special guest, alongside the Special Achievement and Outstanding Achievement awards, will be unveiled over the coming weeks.

For ticket information, contact the Roscommon Herald offices on 090 6627377 (Roscommon Town) or 071 9662004 (Boyle).