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PRIMARY SCHOOL (LARGE >100) The winner of the 2025 Large Primary School Award is Glenswilly N.S. Glenswilly is a very active school and has always promoted and encouraged as many students as possible to participate in a range of sporting events. Last year, Glenswilly won their first ever Division 1 Cumann na mBunscol GAA boys title which was a wonderful achievement. Rounders is a new sport at the school and teachers undertook training to help make it sustainable. They also received Hurling equipment from the local club to strengthen the sport in the school. In addition Glenswilly NS has improved their 200m running track and added a long jump facility. Their pupil Jack Dowds was the overall County GAA skills winner. The children complete the daily K-a-Day at 2pm. The 5th and 6th Class pupils engaged in basketball development sessions delivered in-school by the sport’s Northwest Development Officer
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PRIMARY SCHOOL SPORTS TEACHER The winner of the 2025 Primary School Sports Teacher Award is Rory Grant, St. Mura’s N.S., Tooban, Burnfoot. Over the past 15 years Rory has played an active and consistent role in promoting sport, physical activity and inclusion within the school. His contributions span coaching, coordination, leadership and community engagement. Rory delivers regular coaching sessions during school hours while also leading out on after-school programmes. He organises lunchtime leagues across a range of sports including soccer, Gaelic football and hurling ensuring opportunities for participation at all levels. Rory established a Playground Leaders initiative, empowering pupils to take leadership roles in promoting physical activities. He coordinated a sixth class mentoring programme, where older pupils support and encourage junior players in lunchtime games. Rory serves as both the Active Flag and Sports Coordinator, overseeing the school’s physical wellbeing strategy. He also successfully plans and delivers St. Mura’s Annual Active Week.
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SECONDARY SCHOOL The winner of the 2025 Secondary School Award is Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair In January Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair won the FAI Schools Senior B Girls Cup Final with Aoibhin Cassidy getting the decider’s only goal. Under manager Pádraig Mac Fhionnghaile they won the FAI Schools Junior U17 ‘B’ Boys National Cup for the third year in a row after a 10-9 penalty shoot-out win over Colin Phiarsaigh (Cork) in March. In April two Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair boys Pádraig Mac Giolla Bhríde and Cathal Rua Ó Gallachóir were named on the Ulster All-Star team. Among the other highlights during the academic year included the U19 Boys being crowned Donegal League ‘A’ soccer winners. There was also success in Golf for Jamie Mac Aoidh and in swimming for twin sisters Caoimhe and Éabha Nic Aoidh. And the U15 Girls Basketball team were All Ireland Runners-Up.
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SECONDARY SCHOOL SPORTS TEACHER The winner of the 2025 Secondary School Teacher Award is Kathy-Ann Gibson, The Royal & Prior Comprehensive School, Raphoe As a Physical Education teacher at the Royal and Prior, Kathy-Ann has gone way beyond the call of duty in providing opportunities in Athletics, Badminton, Hockey and Rugby, while also contributing to coaching and developing the sport of Basketball, Darts, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, Table Tennis, and Volleyball. As you can imagine with such an array of sports, she gives up countless evenings and weekends in the process. Kathy-Ann has been coordinating the Transition Year Programme in recent years adding the opportunity for students to engage in numerous winter and adventure sports, even committing to travelling on her own family holiday time to scout out destinations to determine their suitability for her students. Kathy-Ann leaves no stone unturned in her quest to give her students sporting experiences that they may never otherwise get. In 2024/25 Kathy-Ann saw the Royal and Prior excel in many sporting fronts collecting many individual and team titles.