Hall of Fame Inductee Johnny McAleavey with Brendan Murray
Club Person of the Year with Shane Cairns
Saturday 1st February 2025 was another wonderful evening in Ceannáras Chluain Daimh when the Gaels of Clonduff gathered for the Annual Reunion and Presentation of Awards for the 2024 season.
The Clubrooms were beautifully decorated in Clonduff colours – many thanks to Shauna Carvill and her team who were responsible for organising the entire evening.
Fear an Tí Francis Quinn
Clonduff President and Vice President Fintan Mussen and Fr Charlie Byrne
Club Chair Ross Carr
Young Charlie introduced the Hall of Fame Inductee
Francis Quinn was an eloquent bilingual Fear an Tí for the event and he kept it flowing with ease.
Clonduff Chairperson Ross Carr welcomed all present and acknowledged absent friends. Special Guests on the night were Mark Doyle (Down GAA), Mike Barnett (Down LGFA), Teresa Carr (Down and Clonduff Camogie), Geraldine Smith (St Patrick’s Primary School), Niall Geoghegan (St Paul’s Primary School), Fintan Mussen (President Clonduff Club), Maura Quinn, Vincent Devlin and Fr Charlie Byrne (Vice Presidents Clonduff Club).
Senior LGFA Player of the Year Aoife McCusker with Mike Barnett
The distribution of the awards took place at intervals – some before the meal, some between courses and the remainder after. Many thanks to The Diamond, Warrenpoint and staff for the delicious meal; to the volunteer bar staff, to D&D for the music at the end of the event and of course, to the patrons of Clonduff who attended.
Clonduff Award Winners for 2024:
Young Volunteers (50 hours) Lily Rafferty, Blaithín Shields, Hannah Shields, Gerard Carvill
LGFA Awards presented by Mike Barnett (Chairperson Down LGFA):
Minor Player of the Year – Clodagh Kelly
Senior Player of the Year – INF Trophy – Aoife McCusker
Hurling Awards:
Minor Hurler of the Year Tommy Smith with Noleen Cairns
Senior Hurler of the Year John Murphy with Brian Ó Cennúbhan
Minor Player of the Year – Sean Cairns Memorial Trophy presented by Noleen Cairns – Tommy Smith
Senior Player of the Year – James Matthews Memorial Trophy presented by Brian Ó Ceannúbhan (Clonduff Vice Chair) – John Murphy
Football Awards
Minor Player of the Year Lónan Mac Domhnaill with Aidan Brown
Reserve Player of the Year Aidan Kelly with Mary Murray
Premier Reserve Player of the Year Declan Gribben with Guinevra McGilligan
Senior Footballer of the Year Stephen McConville with PJ McGinn
Down Tailteann Cup winner Eamon Brown with Mark Doyle.
Patrick (Sid) McConville accepts his son’s Ben Award for the Tailteann Cup
Sigerson Cup Winners with Ulster University brothers Eamonn and Charlie Brown with Fintan Mussen
Down U20 Winners Dan Rafferty and Senan Carr with Mark Doyle
Minor Player of the Year – Brown Bros Trophy presented by Aidan Brown – Lonan Mac Domhnaill
Reserve Player of the Year – Horseshoe Bar Trophy presented by Mary Murray – Aidan Kelly
Premier Reserve Player of the Year – Bradley Family Trophy presented by Guinevra McGilligan – Declan Gribben
Senior Player of the Year – Peter McGinn Perpetual Trophy presented by PJ McGinn – Stephen McConville
Individual Award Winners:
Down U17 Seamus Heaney Cup Winners – Conor Ward, Danny McLogan, Eoin McCaffrey
Down U20 Liam Connor Cup Winners presented by Mark Doyle (Down GAA), Senan Carr, Dan Rafferty
Sigerson Cup Winners with University of Ulster, presented by Fintan Mussen, President Clonduff GAA – Eamon and Charlie Brown
Down Tailteann Cup Winners presented by Mark Doyle (Down GAA) Eamon Brown, Ben McConville, Barry O’Hagan
Camogie Awards
Joint Minor Player of the Year Laura Close with Teresa Carr. Laura’s cousin Lily Rafferty was the other joint winner and her award was accepted by big sister Erin.
Senior Camogie Player of the Year Erin Rafferty with Teresa Carr
Minor Player of the Year (joint award) presented by Teresa Carr, Chairperson Down Camogie – Laura Close and Lily Rafferty
Senior Player of the Year – Pat Brown Trophy presented by Teresa Carr, Chairperson Down Camogie – Erin Rafferty
Orlaith McCusker (also Ellen Shields) on successful QUB Fr Meagher winning team presented with trophy by Maura Quinn
Clare McGillilgan, Clonduff Captain accepting the County Trophy from Teresa Carr who also presented medal to the team
(It was a great night for the Rafferty siblings with all three picking up awards)
Individual Award Winners:
QUB Fr Meagher Winners – Presented by Maura Quinn – Orlaith McCusker, Ellen Shields
Maura Quinn and Teresa Carr made a presentation to long-serving managers Guinevra and Alastair McGilligan who announced their retirement at the end of last season.
Down County Championship Trophy presented by Teresa Carr to Winning Captain Clare McGilligan
Down County Medals presented to Players also by Teresa Carr
(It was announced that Paula O’Hagan had been selected as Ulster Senior Club Player of the Year and Niamh McConville selected as Ulster Minor County Player of the Year at a celebratory lunch earlier in the day.)
The Camogie Club, represented by Maura Quinn and Teresa Carr made a presentation to long-serving mentors Alastair and Guinevra McGilligan who have stepped down after a very successful 30 seasons at the helm.
Club Person of the Year – Hugh McShane Memorial Trophy, presented by Shane Cairns – this was the penultimate award of the evening and was introduced by Club Chair Ross Carr, who outlined the rationale for the choice of recipient – Sean McGreevy.
PJ McAlinden Hall of Fame Trophy – due to personal reasons Bronagh was unable to attend and Brendan Murray deputised. The inductee to the Hall of Fame was researched by Fintan Mussen and introduced by debutant Charlie Carr, who did an excellent job. The recipient was Johnny McAleavey.
The evening continued well into the night with opportunities for photographs, catch-ups, refreshments and of course dancing to D&D!
