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ANGLING The winner of the 2025 Angling Award is James Donaghey, Lough Swilly Sea Angling Club James won the All Ireland Junior Deep Sea Angling Competition last year. He fished for Ireland at the World Championships in Montenegro where the team finished fifth which was a great result on foreign waters. In total James has now competed at three World Championships. James won the Killybegs Senior Fishing Festival and finished fourth in the Ulster Senior Competition that saw him selected on the team for the interprovincial series. His excellent record last year has qualified him to fish again on the Ireland team in the 2026 Junior World Championship. He is a member of the Lough Swilly Junior Sea Angling Club whose members have enjoyed plenty of success in recent years with the help of dedicated coaches. It’s back-to-back Donegal Sports Star Awards for James.
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PARA-ATHLETE The winner of the 2025 Para-Athlete Award is Samantha McColgan, Burnfoot In October, Burnfoot woman Samantha (Sam) McColgan was a member of the 12-person Ireland hurling team that competed in a Para-Floorball Tournament in the Netherlands. Remarkably, she had only taken up wheelchair hurling two years ago. Sam is Inishowen’s first international wheelchair hurler and she was only one of two women to make the Irish squad. 12 years ago, a spinal infection left Sam almost totally incapacitated and dependent on a wheelchair for everyday life. But she was determined to find ways to get fit for both her physical and mental wellbeing. She was introduced to wheelchair basketball in Derry. Next it was wheelchair hurling and now its floorball. Her desire to be more independent took a major step forward in 2019 when she was able to get back driving again. Sam is now giving talks to schools and groups, encouraging those with disabilities to explore ways of participating in sports.
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ROWING The winner of the 2025 Rowing Award is Niamh Doogan, Kincasslagh Rowing Club Last year Niamh excelled winning Gold in the Swedish Mixed Doubles in Helsingborg and also Bronze at the Europe Coastal Rowing Championship in Turkey. Along with Kincasslagh Rowing Club member Dineka Maguire, Niamh competed at the Euros in October as part of an Irish crew featuring members from Bann and Lagan in the Club Coastal Women’s Coxed Quadruple Sculls category, coming away with that European Bronze Medal. In previous years, Niamh had broken the Irish record to win gold in the LWO-500 category and also represented Ireland at the 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Genoa. 2025 was however by far her best year to date with those gold and bronze medals on the International stage. It’s back-to-back Donegal Sports Star Rowing Awards for Niamh.
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RUGBY The winner of the 2025 Rugby award is Sadhbh McGrath, Cooke R.C. / Ulster Sadhbh from Burt is a prop forward. Undoubtedly the highlight of 2025 for her was being a member of the Ireland Senior Women’s squad at the World Cup. The 21-year-old came on as a sub in the tournament opener which was a 42-14 win over Japan at the Franklin's Gardens Stadium in Northampton. Sadhbh made her international debut in 2023 and has played 19 times for her country which has included a number of Six Nations games. Earlier this month she was among 37 players named by Head Coach Scott Bemand for a training camp ahead of the Six Nations which begins against England at Twickenham in April. It’s Sadhbh’s second time to win the Rugby Award.