21.
The Winner of the 2023 Sea Angling Award was Orlagh McLean from the Lough Swilly Sea Angling Club.Orlagh had a super season with the highlight for her being a member of the Lough Swilly Junior Anglers that represented Ireland at last year's World U21 Boat Championships in Crosshaven Co.Cork. Ireland entered an A and B team for the global competition. The Ireland A team had just the one Donegal angler and that was Orlagh McLean. Both Ireland teams did incredibly well with the As taking 4th place. Orlagh was the top Donegal angler and the leading lady at the event. It was an exceptional achievement for her to be on the elite team with the boys.
22.
The Winner of the 2023 Soccer Award was Erin McLaughlin, Peamount United.Erin McLaughlin is winning her second Donegal Sports Star Awards having taken the Best Secondary School Girl title in 2018. Last year the Culdaff woman certainly made her mark in senior women’s soccer. The 20-year-old was a member of the Peamount Utd side that won the National Senior Women’s League and she was ranked among the top three players in the competition just missing out on being named Player of the Year. But, there was more big news as the midfielder made her Irish senior debut in a friendly against Zambia at the Tallaght Stadium. She then made her first competitive start away to Albania in October as the Irish team sealed promotion to the Women’s Nations League top tier.
23.
The Winner of the 2023 Surfing Award is Bea Greenberg, Donegal Bay Board Riders, with her sister Amy there to collected the award.It is Bea Greenberg’s second time to be honoured having previously won the Surfing Award in 2019.In 2023 the Creeslough woman was crowned Irish Longboard champion. She then went on to represent Ireland at the World Longboard Championships in El Salvador.Bea won a bronze medal in the Board Rescue at the European Lifesaving Championships in Belgium. She also won three golds and two bronze medals at the Irish Surf Lifesaving Championships.As I said Bea is currently residing in Peru where she is volunteering with the non profit making organisation Waves Lobitos teaching kids with little resources how to surf, skate and speak English
24.
The Winner of the 2023 Swimming Award was Cora Rooney presently with the Swilly Seals Club. It is Cora’s second time to win the Swimming Award here having previously done so in 2019.Despite it being her Leaving Certificate year she was still busy competing at international events including the World Cup in Berlin. Cora who has also competed with the Enniskillen Lakelanders represented Ireland at European level last Summer in the Junior Swimming Championships in Serbia. Cora also ended her successful schools swimming career with a double triumph at the Senior National Championships in the 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly. Cora Rooney finished off the year on a high in December at the Winter National Championships with a Gold in 100m Breaststroke and Bronzes in 50m Butterfly and 200m Breaststroke.