Niamh Briggs is Park Hotel Champion
"The winner of the Park Hotel Supreme Sports Award is Abbeyside's Niamh Briggs."The words of special guest RTE's Tony O'Donoghue brought the capacity attendance to its feet and Niamh's progress to the stage from her family's table to accept the magnificent crystal trophy must have been the slowest on record as everyone in the room sought to hug her and extend their congratulations.
Niamh's was a popular win in a sport which only she has represented at the Park Hotel, and that on three occasions, but her climb to the dizzy heights of worldwide recognition sufficiently convinced the judges that the Blue Riband of Waterford Sport should be hers for her magnificent year of triumphs.
Among the large and representative attendance were: the Mayor of Dungarvan Cllr. Teresa Wright, the Mayor of County Waterford Cllr. Damien Geoghegan, and the Mayor of Waterford City, Cllr. John Cummins, the last time these three offices will be represented at the gathering. Also present was Waterford City Manager, Michael Walsh who will take over jurisdiction over the county as well under the new local government proposals.
Welcoming his guests, Proprietor of The Park Hotel and architect of the highly successful Award, Pierce Flynn said that news of the winner is flashed around the world each year seconds after the announcement and is eagerly awaited by Waterford sports fans from Australia to America."Sometimes we underestimate the rich tapestry of sporting talent we have in this county," he said, "but one only has to glance at the Park Hotel Roll of Honour to appreciate the galaxy of champions that has been nurtured in the county and city before bursting onto the national and international stages.""Tonight, we remember with affection, Niall, Dottie and Donal," he continued , "and salute our great friend, the late John A. Murphy of the Irish Examiner and News and Star. He was one of the leading and guiding lights of the Awards from the very beginning and this is the first Supreme Award to be selected without his valuable input."
Later, Special Guest, Tony O'Donoghue also paid tribute to John A. as he was affectionately known, and asked for a minute's silence to honour the memory of a man he described as 'a great mentor, tremendous friend and outstanding colleague'.
Chairman of the Adjudicating panel, Fr. Pat Moran said he was delighted to be present at the Awards Banquet for the 23rd time. He thanked his fellow
Adjudicators John O'Connor, Ger Lawton, Waterford News & Star and Neil Gough, WLR-fm for their diligence over the twelve months.
Referring to his recent illness he said he felt great and was pleased to be back in The Park once again.
"This is our twenty-third Supreme Award night," he said, "and we have also had
276 monthly awards which shows that this is indeed an enduring event."
After an excellent dinner, the long standing and highly efficient and knowledgeable MC, Kieran O'Connor took over and interviewed all of the Monthly winners or their representatives who had come in place of those who had international commitments and could not be present.
With hurling dominant on the Waterford stage throughout the year and with All Ireland honours gained in several College competitions, it was expected that several of the young stars would contest strongly for the title. However, it was the international achievements of Niamh Briggs, who played a starring role when
Ireland beat Scotland to take the Triple crown for the first time and who went on to help Ireland win the Six Nations crown in a nailbiting contest in Italy who attracted the favour of the Adjudicating panel.
Having got her breath back and regained her composure, an obviously overwhelmed Niamh spoke to Kieran O'Connor. Reminding her of her try scoring record, penalty successes, Triple Crown and Grand Slam victories and being selected to the World
Fifteen and ultimately, the World Player of the Year, Kieran asked what it all meant to her.
"I would gladly give all those other accolades back to win this Park Hotel Award. I made that quite clear to my family over the past weeks," she said to another round of applause. .
"There is no way I can win this," she had said to herself, "after all, there is Kelly Proper, the hurlers and Lynne McEnery, I did not think that I could win it."
Referring to her many achievements and her teams famous victories Kieran O'Connor asked her how long it had taken for all of that to sink in with her.
"It hasn't sunk in yet," she said, "It all happened so fast. It happens to have been a fantastic year with one thing coming after another. I'm still playing,
I'm still learning and striving to be better.
"When I retire I will have plenty of time to sit back and look at how fantastic it all was."
Not only was she the top try-scorer, she was also the best kicker, Kieran reminded her and asked her about the pressure kick in Italy on which the Grand Slam depended.
"I try to blank out all those kind of thoughts, and I did not think about what it meant to us. It was a horrible day, so it was not great rugby for the viewers, but it was a great win nevertheless."
She recalled how she started her sporting career in Ladies Football and how much of a chance her getting involved in rugby was. She said that six or seven years ago, she was playing football for Old Parish when someone asked her to play tag-rugby during the summer. Despite her apprehensions of the possible contact element of the game, she decided to play and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.
In regard to the attitude of the IRFU towards Women's Rugby, Niamh said that last year they had to win, had to prove themselves and get some silverware for people to sit up and take notice.
"We did that," she said, "and the backing we have had from the IRFU and the media has been second to none."
Niamh thanked Pierce Flynn, Fr. Moran and the Adjudicating Panel for the honour accorded to her and, when asked about the support she had got from many people around her, she was decisive.
"I cannot thank my parents enough, they really, really helped me. I don't get home very much, but when I do I don't go outside my door. I love to be surrounded by my family as much as possible."
Special guest of the evening, RTE's Sports News Editor, Tony O'Donoghue recalled memorable moments in a lengthy career with RTE Sport. During that time he reported heavily on soccer matters through the management careers of amongst others Jack Charlton, Mick McCarthy, Steve Staunton, Brian Kerr, Giovanni
Trapattoni and now Martin O'Neill.
He recalled the turbulent times of the row between Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane in the little Pacific island of Saipan in the run-up to the World Cup and the circumstances under which Keane left the squad.
Perhaps with a little Cork loyalty he said that 'Keane did not leave, he was sent home'.
He spoke highly of Irish soccer legend, Paul McGrath whom he described as one of the greatest players he ever saw in an Irish or Manchester United shirt. He was 'quiet, shy, a real star who shied away when he saw a microphone'. He recalled
McGraths difficulties in his career but reminded the audience that 'whatever life throws at you, sport helps you come through'.
In regard to the Award, he said that it was fantastic that so many Waterford women had such great achievements and were so well represented at the Awards with five monthly winners.
"It was an outstanding year for sport in the region," he said, "and I do not envy the judges their task in selecting a winner. It is a genuine collection of world class sportspeople."
But it was he who accepted the all-important envelope from Fr. Moran and made the announcement which brought the crowd, including the monthly nominees and their families and supporters.
Later this month, it will all start again and the monthly winner for January will be selected, the first of what Fr. Moran expects will be the usual galaxy of stars for celebration twelve months hence.
