GAA President’s Awards 2019
Friday 8 March 2019
The GAA is pleased to confirm the recipients for Gradaim an Uachtaráin 2019 which will be presented at a special banquet in Croke Park this evening.
These prestigious annual awards, organised with the support of Club Championship sponsors AIB and broadcast by TG4, affords Uachtarán CLG with an opportunity to acknowledge outstanding commitment and long service across the club and county network.
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Seán Ó hOráin said: “ The GAA is many things but ultimately it is always about People because it is People who are the unselfish volunteering rock upon which our Association is built.
“This important event affords us an opportunity to recognise some extraordinarily special People who have given lifetimes of service to their communities and to the GAA.
“They represent the high standard and high calibre of People who we have been blessed to have at our core and are an inspiration.
“I would like to acknowledge AIB and Denis O’Callaghan, Head of Distribution AIB, for their ongoing support of these awards and of their wider commitment to Gaelic games.
“Míle buíochas also to TG4 for their assistance in helping us to bring these awards to the widest audience possible and for the work they do each year in showcasing Gaelic games.”
The awards are made on a provincial and code basis. As well as Gaeilge, Education and International Awards, the presentation of the annual Dermot Earley Family Award will also be made.
CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES ARE EXTENDED TO BR. JAMES DORMER on being Awarded the EDUCATION AWARD:
Born in Dublin, Br James Dormer has been immersed in the promotion of the GAA throughout several teaching posts around the country.
He began his teaching career at Wexford CBS in 1970. He spent three years in Wexford town where among his best-known students would be Billy Walsh, future Olympic boxer and coach.
After a short period in Carlow, in January 1974 Br Dormer began teaching in Sexton CBS in Limerick City, and though he finished his teaching there in 1980 he was an ever-present figure in Sexton Street from then on, sitting on a wide range of boards and assisting in a vast array of positions throughout the school.
In February of 1980, Br Dormer was appointed Principal of Lismore CBS Primary School in Co Waterford. He enjoyed 13 years as principal of this school where he fostered the education of the local boys and in hurling too. He brought unprecedented success to Lismore winning a host of county and divisional titles at underage level and two county senior hurling titles in 1991 and 1993. He was a mentor in the lives of many famous past pupils here including Waterford county players, Dave Bennett, Brendan Landers, and Dan Shanahan.
Appointed principal to Doon CBS Primary school in Limerick, Br Dormer spent 23 in Doon and in that time, he dedicated his life to advancing education, Irish culture, Irish language, Irish games and religion in the local area. Br Dormer officially retired on August 31st, 2016 after 46 years teaching and was the last Christian Brother to teach in Doon CBS, and also the last Christian Brother to be a primary school principal in the country.
Every one of his pupils learned to play hurling in the school yard and the school have been leading lights in primary School hurling since he came, and as a result the Doon club had enormous success in all grades of hurling. Presently Doon is the only club in county Limerick fielding three hurling teams in the Adult grade, with success at all levels. Among the many hurlers to pass through his hands at school and club level were 2018 All Ireland Senior medalists, Pat Ryan, Barry Murphy and Darragh O’Donovan and All-Star Richie English.
Br Dormer has served on Cumann Na mBunscoil in Limerick and Waterford for four decades. From 2011 to 2016 he was Uachtarán of Cumann an mBunscoil having filled the role of National Treasurer for the five years prior to that.
