Golf Ireland enjoyed a landmark evening at the Federation of Irish Sport Irish Sport Industry Awards on Tuesday night, being named National Governing Body of the Year in recognition of what has been a transformative period for the organisation and the game across the country.
Chief Executive Mark Kennelly accepted the award on behalf of the organisation at the ceremony in The College Green Hotel in Dublin, describing the honour as recognition of the collective effort that has driven the sport forward since the organisation was established five years ago.
“It’s absolutely fantastic,” said Kennelly. “It’s a really tremendous time to be involved in golf. Our organisation is only five years old, so winning this is just an incredible testament to the work that continues to be done.”
The award caps a period of sustained growth and momentum for golf in Ireland, both in participation and profile. The sport benefitted from the global attention generated by Rory McIlroy completing the career Grand Slam and from the continued legacy impact of The Open returning to Royal Portrush Golf Club.
Golf Ireland has also expanded its focus beyond elite performance and participation growth, investing heavily in areas such as sustainability, inclusion, women’s golf, and volunteer support, while continuing to strengthen services for affiliated clubs across the country.
Kennelly paid tribute to the contribution of staff and volunteers in helping deliver on the governing body’s strategic ambitions.
“We have a fantastic staff team working alongside 400 volunteers, some of them are here tonight, others aren’t,” he said. “There’s been a really tremendous effort over the last five years to deliver the potential of Irish golf, and there’s a lot more potential to be delivered on in the future.”
There was further success for Golf Ireland on the night as ‘Drive The Green’, the organisation’s sustainability action plan, was recognised with the award for Best Initiative to Promote Sustainability in Sport & Physical Activity.
Launched in March 2024, the programme has quickly become a central pillar of Golf Ireland’s long-term strategy. In its first full year, 103 affiliated clubs participated in a bespoke sustainability leaders programme, gaining access to expert guidance and practical support to improve environmental performance and long-term sustainability across the sport.
The initiative has been led by Head of Sustainability Ann Courtney, who, along with Kennelly, accepted the award.
Golf Ireland was also shortlisted in the category for Best Initiative to Promote Disability in Sport & Physical Activity for its Golf4All inclusion programme. The award was ultimately presented to Special Olympics Ireland, one of Golf Ireland’s community partners.
The double recognition reflects the growing breadth of Golf Ireland’s work across participation, social impact and governance, at a time when the sport continues to experience strong momentum nationwide.
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Image Credit: Cricket Ireland and Sportsfile
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