Tickets now on sale for sports awards gala night
TICKETS for the most illustrious local sporting event of the year - the 2012 Westmeath Independent/Hodson Bay Hotel Sports Awards - are now on sale from the Westmeath Independent offices at Sean Costello Street, Athlone. The tickets are priced at €45, for what is guaranteed to be yet another memorable night in the history of the prestigious awards. The event is scheduled to begin in the picturesque Hodson Bay Hotel at 7.30pm on Friday, February 8, 2013. Tickets are priced at €45, for what is guaranteed to be yet another memorable night in the history of the prestigious awards. A special offer is in place whereby one receives one free ticket for buying five tickets and two free tickets for purchasing ten tickets. Attire on the night is suit & tie for Gentlemen, and cocktail dress for Ladies. On the night, the overall winner of the 2012 Westmeath Independent/Hodson Bay Hotel Sports Award will be announced, along with the Reader's Choice award (see details of how to vote below). The Hall of Fame award recipient will also be presented with their accolade at the keenly-anticipated gala event. A diverse and fascinating number of sports are recognised at this year's awards ceremony, including Martial Arts, Modern Pentathlon, Endurance Swimming, Handcycling, Gaelic football, Soccer and Rugby. The previous winners of the overall award are Roscommon's 2006 All-Ireland minor winning captain David Flynn, Liam Heavin (who was instrumental in bringing the European Triathlon Championships to Athlone), former Westmeath and Rosemount Gaelic football star John Keane, Moate boxing sensation Joe Ward, and Dessie Dolan (last year's overall winner). Last year's Reader's Choice award was won by Westmeath ladies' football trio, Laura Brennan, Michelle Malone and Laura Walsh, who helped the Lake County to All-Ireland intermediate success in 2011. Vote for Your Choice MEMBERS of the public are now invited to vote for the winner of the 2013 Westmeath Independent/Hodson Bay Hotel Sports Awards 'Reader's Choice' award. The Reader's Choice award is separate to the overall Westmeath Independent/Hodson Bay Hotel Sports Award, which like the Reader's Choice award, will be announced and presented to the winner at a gala banquet in the picturesque Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone on Friday, February 8. The twelve monthly award winners are listed below and voting via text message began on Wednesday (January 9). Voting is via this number: 57199. Each of the monthly award winners are assigned a number from 1 to 12, coinciding with the month in which they were chosen for the award. Voters text INDO followed by the nominee's number to 57199. For example, to vote for the January winner, readers need to text INDO 1 to 57199; for the February winner, text INDO 2 to 57199; and so on. Voting lines opened on Wednesday, January 9 and close on Thursday, February 7 at midnight. Text line available in the Republic of Ireland only. Texts cost €1. SMS entry requires one message to be delivered. Max 30 entries per mobile number per day. Standard network charges apply. You may receive promotional SMS in future. To opt out text STOP to 57199. Helpline BDC 0818286600. Voting Details January - Leon Brydone (Martial Arts) Text INDO 1 to 57199 February - John Gaffey (Gaelic Football) Text INDO 2 to 57199 March - Brian and Kevin Cooper (Rugby) Text INDO 3 to 57199 April - Ronan Stack (Gaelic football) Text INDO 4 to 57199 May - Aaron O'Neill (Soccer) Text INDO 5 to 57199 June - Jack Carty (Rugby) Text INDO 6 to 57199 July - Sionann O'Reilly-Collins (Modern Pentathlon) Text INDO 7 to 57199 August - Jim O'Connor (Endurance Swimming) Text INDO 8 to 57199 September - Mark Rohan (Handcycling) Text INDO 9 to 57199 October - Jamie Madden (Gaelic football) Text INDO 10 to 57199 November - Frankie Dolan (Gaelic football) Text INDO 11 to 57199 December - Brendan Gibbons (Swimming) Text INDO 12 to 57199.