Club Chairman Joe Kelly speaking at a recent Club coaching event before presenting Leonard Fay with the 2023 ‘James Corbett Memorial Award’ for Club Person of the year stated:

‘Each year we present a volunteer in our Club who has stood out from the crowd in terms of contribution to the development of & positive promotion of our Club St Mary’s GAA, Athenry. 

For this award, our 2023 Club person of year choice was a very easy decision to make. 

This person, you will all know because of the work he has done. 

Over the last number of years he has given selflessly to progressing our Club in terms of  processes & development. He puts in so many volunteer hours more than most will know, he does so with no expectation for anything except to do a good job. He is humble, unassuming, sometimes unapologetic if his expectations are high but always professional. 

He first became involved as a volunteer in the Club with the Club Lotto, he was instrumental in structuring the lotto process, building the online platform & overseeing the draw each week. 

He has been a coach with his son’s team over last number of years. 

He’s in his 3rd year in the role of juvenile chairperson. In this time, he has totally overhauled the coaching process. Initiating coaching programmes in our schools & been instrumental in recent setting up of athletic development in some of the younger age groups for hurling & football. 

He’s always behind the scenes helping out where he can building our clubhouse as a hub for our community, providing refreshments 

in the clubhouse for winning teams or visitors from afar to ensuring our winning Feile teams were fully equipped to compete on national stage. 

When we set up our GAA4all team, despite all the other things he was doing, he was one of the first to put his hand up to get involved with helping out. 

Most importantly, in a time of crisis, he is a solid individual to have by your side when you need to share a problem or you might even get told the truth you don’t really want to hear but will be told anyway! 

He’s never afraid to roll up the sleeves & do what needs to be done. 

His passion for the promotion of GAA is second to none, in all that he done, it has always been for the good of our club & our club’s development. 

I want to sincerely thank him for all the work he has done over last number of years, you have all seen for yourselves the success of our juvenile club in recent years, the organisation, the planning & the forward thinking. 

He’s the reason you are all sitting here tonight. Just another project he was at the forefront in setting up. Therefore, it’s a fitting occasion to present this award tonight to an “Offaly” nice man but we are proud to adopt him as one of our own. Tullamore loss is Athenry’s gain! 

Please put your hands together for Leonard Fay’