THE 48th TEXACO SPORTSTARS, HALL OF FAME & SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS PRESENTED
The thirteen leading Irish sports personalities chosen as this year’s winners of the ten Texaco Sportstars Awards were presented with their trophies at a ceremony held in Dublin's Burlington Hotel last evening (Wednesday, 30th November) at which An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD was Guest of Honour. Two additional awards, the Texaco Hall of Fame and Texaco Special Achievement Awards, were also presented. Chosen from a shortlist of twenty-two sports, the full line-up of Texaco Sportstars Award winners for 2005 is:
| ATHLETICS | David Gillick |
| CRICKET | Ed Joyce |
| GAELIC FOOTBALL | Stephen O'Neill |
| GOLF | Padraig Harrington |
| HORSE RACING | Kieren Fallon |
| HURLING | Jerry O'Connor |
| LADIES GAA | Valerie Mulcahy |
| ROWING | Richard Archibald Eugene Coakley Paul Griffin Tim Harnedy |
| RUGBY | Trevor Brennan |
| SOCCER | Damien Richardson |
Of the thirteen stars chosen to receive awards, all but two were winners for the very first time. Previous recipients were jockey Kieren Fallon, a winner in 1997, and golfer Pádraig Harrington who won his sixth Texaco Award having previously been honoured in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2004.
Recipient of the 2005 Texaco Hall of Fame award was legendary Irish international John Giles, one of the most distinguished figures in Irish soccer renowned for his various roles as player, manager and media pundit.
Winner of the 2005 Texaco Special Achievement Award was veteran broadcaster and sportswriter, Jimmy Magee whose award was presented in recognition of his long and distinguished career in sports broadcasting.
Chosen by a panel of Sports Editors representing national print and broadcast media across Ireland, the Texaco Sportstars Awards are now in their 48th year having been presented annually since 1958.
Hosted by Texaco Country Chairman Paul Martin, the awards ceremony was attended by the Sportstars and their guests along with celebrities from the world of sport, media, business and entertainment as well as senior officials from Texaco.
Commenting on the 2005 awards, Texaco Country Chairman Paul Martin said 'it is particularly pleasing to see so many young sportstars being chosen to receive awards for the very first time. This surely reflects the very healthy state of Irish sport and the high level of domestic and international competition in which Irish sports stars are now engaged.’
Issued: Wednesday, 30th November 2005
