Winning awards is often a high point in terms of recognition from your peers. When they carry financial support for the year ahead they become invaluable to young sporting stars making their way in an ultra competitive world.
The Motorsport Ireland Awards took place in Dublin this week and Josh Moffett, a 24 year old driver from Monaghan won the Billy Coleman Award for Young Rally Driver of the Year, a prize that not only centres prestige but also €50,000 worth of financial support in 2017.
When prizes bring recognition but also a platform for making further progress they are at a different level of importance to most.
Moffett had some excellent performances in the Irish Tarmac Championship, and secured his first International win at the Cork 20 Rally.
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The Sexton Trophy for Young Racing Driver of the Year was awarded to 22 year-old Cian Carey, from Ratoath Co Meath, winner of the Boss Ireland Championship this year.
He secured a remarkable five outright wins, three second places and four thirds on his way to being crowned champion. Carey intends to compete in the British Formula 3 Cup next year and has already tested the new car in Silverstone at the Walter Hayes Trophy where he secured a pole position and second place finish in his first outing.
The Manley Memorial Trophy for the International Driver of the Year went to Craig Breen, from Waterford, after he became the first driver from the Republic of Ireland to secure a works drive with Citroen in the World Rally Championship.
The winner of this award is selected by the motor sport media and is presented to an Irish competitor from the 32 counties who has not only proven to be a success in competition but also has acted as a positive role model and ambassador for the sport.
Breen, who came to prominence this season for the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team, and his co-driver Scott Martin, have been added to the Citroën WRC team for 2017. He has driven for Citroën in a DS 3 in four World Rally Championship rounds this year achieving top 10 finishes in each. The season highlights included claiming a maiden podium with third place in Finland and finishing fifth in Corsica.
Read more about Craig Breen’s Achievements
“The last twelve months have been fantastic in terms of my career to date. Securing a first ever WRC works drive is phenomenal and receiving this award tops my year off completely,” said Breen accepting the Award.
I have worked very hard, remained focused and am very driven to achieving my goals. I hope that I have shown the young drivers around the country, that whether they are just starting out or are part of the Motorsport Team Ireland set up that if you can keep focusing on your dream that one day it might just happen.”
“This award carries with it a great responsibility and is as big an incentive as I have ever had to continue to strive to win more in the future. It is an honour to be recognised amongst some of the greats of Irish Motorsport and I intend to acknowledge this by continuing to be the best I can. I can’t wait for the next season to start and the opportunity to represent my country on the biggest stage of all.”
“I would like to thank my family, friends, and management that have given this fantastic chance for a childhood dream to be achieved.”
Breen joins a long list of previous winners that includes luminaries in the motorsport world such as Matt Griffin, Austin MacHale, Eddie Irvine and Derek Tohill to name but a few.
There was a nice touch in rewarding a main sponsor of Motorsport in Ireland when the Ivan Webb Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Irish Motorsport went to Kevin Barrett who has been an integral part of the Irish motorsport community for many years and a huge supporter of the National Rally Championship both as a competitor and sponsor of the championship through the Triton Showers brand.
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The Neil Shanahan Memorial Trophy went to Se Og Martin as National Junior Kart Champion. Se og is from Dunloy, Co. Antrim and is just 13 years of age.
The Inaugural FIA Celtic Trophy was won overall by Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin. The competition is spread over five rallies in the UK and Ireland. Cronin, a three-time British Rally Champion, won two of the five rounds and placed high enough to take the trophy ahead of nearest rival Sam Moffett.
The JC Millard Memorial Award for Clubman of the Year went to James O’Brien from Co Cork, for his contribution to the sport both as an organiser and competitor.
“Every year it becomes harder for the selection panels to choose the winners of the various categories,” said Motorsport Ireland President Martin McKenna.
“The pool of very talented and skilled drivers is growing each season and alongside our partners in Sport Ireland, we are excited about the future for the sport.”
“This year’s recipients have a great opportunity to further their careers, which I hope they can take advantage of. The awards are internationally recognised and many of the previous winners have gone on to compete at the highest level of their chosen discipline abroad.”
“Craig Breen, who won the Billy Coleman in 2009, is now on the WRC circuit as a works driver with Citroën, while a former Sexton Trophy winner, Niall Murray, went on to break all sorts of records in Formula Ford both in Ireland and the UK this year.”
“We launched the Motorsport Team Ireland programme in February of this year to help talented drivers progress in the sport. Judging by the progress they are making and the winners here today, the future of Irish Motorsport is very positive.”
