Fergal Lynch: Meath women were ahead of the curve
Image 1 of 3
The big winners at the 2016 Meath Sports Awards were Megan Thynne (Young Sportsperson), Natalya Coyle (Sportsperson of the Year) and Sara Treacy (Outstanding Achievement). Photo: John Quirke / www.quirke.ie John QuirkeImage 2 of 3
Image 3 of 3
Some of the winners at the 2013 Meath Sports Awards were: back - Susan Oakes, Amanda McQuillan, Natalya Coyle, Lyndsey Conway, Elizabeth Morland; front - Maedbh Smyth, Joanna Morgan and Marie-Louise Reilly. Photo: John Quirke / www.quirke.ie John QuirkeEvery now and again Facebook throws up a memory of something you have posted from your past to their platform, more often than not it's nonsense, but this week recalled a very proud and special Meath Sports Awards from 2017 when women swept the board.
Back in January 2017, long before the 20x20 initiative aimed to increase participation and media coverage of women in sport was a thing, the Meath Chronicle honoured our local heroes from 2016 - and our three main winners all happened to be women.
There was no distinction of categories; no best female athlete, no best young male sports star; everyone was treated as equals and in 2016 it was the women who swept the boards.
Megan Thynne claimed the Young Sportsperson of the Year following her exploits with Kilmessan camogie, Meath senior camogie and the All-Ireland MFC B winning Meath footballers.
Moynalvey's Sara Treacy picked up the Outstanding Achievement Award after she reached the 3000m Steeplechase final at the Rio Olympic Games and Tara's Natalya Coyle was named Sportsperson of the Year after her sixth place finish in the Modern Pentathlon at the same Olympics.
It was a remarkable year for women in sport and one that was rightly recognised by the Meath Chronicle. Elizabeth Morland (athletics) and Amanda McQuillan (soccer) also picked up awards at that banquet. Women have always featured heavily when it comes to dishing out sports awards in Meath.
Nina Carberry, Nichola Duffy, Maire O'Shaughnessy, Vikki Wall, Maedbh Smyth, Joanna Morgan, Marie Louise Reilly, Lyndsey Conway, Aileen Donnelly, Caoimhe O'Grady, to name but a few, have all been recognised while legends like the late Rita Brady was inducted into our Hall of Fame, along with Motor racing superstar Rosemary Smyth.
With the news that all Covid restrictions have now been lifted it is hoped that the heroes of 2021 will get their opporunity to be honoured at an in-person awards evening very soon, and you can rest assured that after the year they had in 2021 the Meath Ladies footballers are sure to figure prominently amongst the top honours.
There will be no shortage of nominations with plenty of worthy candidates battling it out for the honour of being recognised by their own, and in Meath we revere our sporting heroes like no others.