Roscommon's Shannon Gaels wins top prize in GAA Glór Na nÓg as Carrick on Shannon Camogie claim Leitrim honours

Shannon Gaels GAA Club from Roscommon has been announced as the overall Grand Prize winner of  the inaugural Glór Na nÓg competition, securing €8,000 in funding to support youth development  and equipment purchases, while Carrick-on-Shannon Camogie Club has been announced as the County Leitrim winner. 

The groundbreaking initiative, supported by Amazon, empowered young GAA members across  Ireland and internationally to share their voices about what makes their clubs special and how they  can be improved. The competition attracted entries from GAA, LGFA, and Camogie clubs nationwide. 

Through a digital platform accessed via QR codes, junior members answered two key questions:  "What's the best thing about your GAA club?" and "What can be done to make your GAA club even  better?" Shannon Gaels' submission stood out for its constructiveness, innovation, and  demonstration of community spirit. 

Shannon Gaels Club Secretary Pádraig Tiernan said "Shannon Gaels would firstly like to thank all involved with Glór na nÓg including the sponsors Amazon. National recognition for a rural club of  our size is a real honour and the response from our members and from neighbouring areas reflects this. The future of all clubs is based on our continuous efforts to engage, encourage, and empower the  next generation; therefore, in the spirit of Glór na nÓg, Shannon Gaels plan to invest the prize money in and for our younger members." 

Croke Park Stadium Director and GAA Commercial Director Peter McKenna said "This partnership  with Amazon represents an exciting opportunity to harness technology in service of our  communities. Glór na nÓg gives our young members a meaningful voice in shaping the future of  their clubs while celebrating what makes our community so special." 

Alison Dunn, Country Manager for Amazon in Ireland, said "Congratulations to Shannon Gaels and  all the winning clubs across Ireland and internationally. We're incredibly proud to see how young  GAA members have embraced this opportunity to shape their clubs' futures. The quality of submissions from Shannon Gaels and clubs across Ireland and abroad has been outstanding. These winners represent the very best of youth engagement and community spirit, and we're delighted to support their continued development with €85,000 in funding." 

The Glór Na nÓg initiative distributed funding across multiple categories. Provincial winners Tourlestrane (Sligo), Ringtown Camogie (Westmeath), Glin (Limerick), and Ardara GAA (Donegal) each received €4,250. Twenty-eight county winners received €2,000 each, while eight commendable prize winners received €500 each. 

Winners were selected through a combination of AI-assisted scoring and a judging panel, with  submissions evaluated based on constructiveness, impact and innovation, detail and clarity, and  demonstration of community spirit. 

The programme was open to GAA, LGFA, and Camogie clubs across Ireland and  internationally, representing a commitment to youth development and community engagement.