SHE’S only the second woman to be honoured as the Galway Sports Stars Hall of Fame recipient and it’s a timely accolade for Nono McHugh who excelled in a variety of sports.

Apart from competing at the top level in both camogie and ladies’ football, Nono was also the captain of the first ever Republic of Ireland soccer team to play internationally when they defeated Wales in Llanelli in May of 1973.

The city native’s varied sporting career will be celebrated when inducted into the Hall of Fame at the annual Medtronic Galway Sports Stars awards on Friday night, January 17, in the Galway Bay Hotel.

It’s a banquet which will recognise another year of high achievement by Galway sportspeople, not least the horse racing exploits of jockey Rossa Ryan who landed Europe’s most prestigious flat race, the Prix De L’Arc de Triomphe on Bluestocking at Longchamp.

Remarkably, three of the 2024 Sports Stars award winners – Paul Conroy (Gaelic Football), Julie-Ann Russell (Women’s Soccer) and Nicola Ward (Ladies Football) – have already been feted as the national Player of the Year in their respective sports.

Making it a double celebration on the night for Ward is that her club Kilkerrin-Clonberne are also being recognised again as the Team of the Year’ after claiming a magnificent fourth All-Ireland ladies’ football senior title at Croke Park last month.

Sarsfields camogie will be collecting two awards too. Michael ‘Hopper’ McGrath is the Manager of the Year after guiding his native parish to a fourth All-Ireland senior crown in 2024, while Sarsfields win the Club of the Year after a string of title successes, notably regaining the Bill and Agnes Carroll Cup.

2024 was also a memorable year for Dervla Higgins on the camogie fields. An All-Star winner, the Athenry clubwoman was a formidable defensive presence as Galway reached the National League and All-Ireland finals.

It may have been a tough season for the Galway hurlers, but at club level St Thomas’ claimed a second All-Ireland title with player of the year Eanna Burke – such an integral part of their dominance of the county championship for six years – landing a sensational match-winner against O’Loughlin Gaels at Croke Park last January.

Galway don’t produce too many senior swimming national record holders, but Irish champions John Shortt continues to buck that trend by repeatedly setting a new mark for the 200m backstroke, while Ciana Ní Churraoin takes the handball award after regaining the World singles title in stunning fashion last November.

Previous award winners who are being feted are golfer Liam Nolan, who qualified for the British Open at Royal Troon, boxer Martin McDonagh, who retained his Irish Superheavyweight title and won a European U-22 bronze medal, and Northern European gymnastics champion, Emma Slevin.

National U-19 indoor and outdoor 400m champion and the youngest competitor to ever represent Ireland at senior level, Seán Doggett takes the athletics award, with the ground-breaking exploits of Aoife Raftery being honoured in the Motorsport category.

Galway United goalkeeper Brendan Clarke, who kept 16 clean sheets on their return to the top flight, wins the soccer award, while the 38-times capped hooker Cliodhna Moloney from Kilconly is rugby’s player of the year.

Tom Nally’s lifetime’s commitment to Galway GAA and, especially the St Michael’s club, is recognised with the Special Dedication award, while twice All-Ireland senior hurling medal winner with Galway, Steve Mahon, collects the Service to Sport award.

The Sports Stars awards are the definitive benchmark of sporting achievement in the county and Galway’s biggest private employers and medical devices company, Medtronic, continue as sponsors of the awards which have been going strong since 1965. Special guest will be former Tipperary hurler and double All-Ireland winning team manager, Liam Sheedy.

The selection panel comprised of: John McIntyre, Connacht Tribune; Billy Coss, Tuam Herald; Ollie Turner, Galway Bay FM; Keith Kelly, Connacht Tribune; Mark Walsh, Tuam Herald; and Darren Kelly, Galway Bay FM.

Pictured: Paul Conroy who is being honoured with the 2024 Galway Sports Stars Gaelic Football award. Inset: Steve Mahon, the Service to Sport award winner and Nono McHugh, the Hall of Fame recipient.