Laois GAA club honoured with Glór na nÓg award at Croke Park

Park-Ratheniska GAA were proudly presented with the Laois Glór na nÓg Award at the recent GAA Club Summit in Croke Park.

The award recognises the strength, spirit and forward-thinking approach of the club, and is a testament to the dedication of its members, volunteers, players and supporters.

The groundbreaking Glór na nÓg initiative, supported by Amazon, empowered young GAA members across Ireland and internationally to share their views on what makes their clubs special and how they could be improved. The competition attracted entries from GAA, LGFA and Camogie clubs nationwide.

Through a digital platform accessed via QR codes, junior members were invited to answer two key questions: "What’s the best thing about your GAA club?" and "What can be done to make your GAA club even better?"

County winners, including Park-Ratheniska, received €2,000 in funding. Provincial winners, Tourlestrane, Ringtown Camogie, Glin and Ardara GAA, each received €4,250, while eight commendable prize winners were awarded €500. READ MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Collecting the award on behalf of Park-Ratheniska were John Fingleton, Danny Conroy and James Fingleton

Shannon Gaels GAA Club were announced as the overall Grand Prize winners of the inaugural Glór na nÓg competition, securing €8,000 in funding to support youth development and equipment purchases.

Winners were selected through a combination of AI-assisted scoring and a judging panel, with submissions evaluated based on constructiveness, impact and innovation, detail and clarity, and demonstration of community spirit.

Croke Park Stadium Director and GAA Commercial Director Peter McKenna said: "This partnership  with Amazon represents an exciting opportunity to harness technology in service of our  communities. Glór na nÓg gives our young members a meaningful voice in shaping the future of  their clubs while celebrating what makes our community so special." 

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Alison Dunn, Country Manager for Amazon in Ireland, said: "Congratulations to Shannon Gaels and  all the winning clubs across Ireland and internationally. We're incredibly proud to see how young  GAA members have embraced this opportunity to shape their clubs' futures. The quality of  submissions from Shannon Gaels and clubs across Ireland and abroad has been outstanding. These  winners represent the very best of youth engagement and community spirit, and we're delighted to  support their continued development with €85,000 in funding." 

The programme was open to GAA, LGFA and Camogie clubs across Ireland and internationally, reflecting a strong commitment to youth development and community engagement within the association.