Hall of Fame award for Athlone's Patricia

Athlone's Patricia Cleary has been inducted into Swim Ireland's Hall of Fame.

The honour was bestowed on Athlone Swimming Club stalwart Patricia at the 2023 Swim Ireland Awards, which took place yesterday evening (Saturday) in the Carlton Hotel, Blanchardstown.

Patricia has volunteered at club, regional and national level for over three decades. She has been a coach, committee member, official, club and regional team manager, Swim Ireland Board member, Connacht President and Swim Ireland President.

In addition, the Cornamagh resident has been an advocate for Special Olympians and Paralympic swimmers, and a dedicated promoter of swimming in schools and involved in Community Games swimming meets and now a deserving inductee into Swim Ireland's Hall of Fame.

In nominating Patrica for the Hall of Fame award, Athlone Swimming Club outlined her huge contribution to the sport over the years.

"Patricia has devoted her adult life to the world of swimming -from Swim Ireland to Athlone Swimming Club to Special Olympics Ireland. Patricia and her family were members of Athlone Aces Swimming Club before it amalgamated with Rags Swimming Club to become Athlone Swimming Club in 2002. With Johnny Powell by her side, the club grew from strength to strength, producing top class swimmers at provincial, national and international level," said the club.

In the mid 1990s, Patricia became President of the Swim Ireland Connacht Region and resumed the position again in 2007. Patricia served as the Connacht secretary for many years and was President of Swim Ireland in 2008.

"Patricia's love of swimming stems from growing up in Dun Laoghaire where she swam as a young girl and some of her earliest memories are swimming at the Seapoint baths as a child with her parents. When she married and moved to Athlone due to her husband Michael's job, she got involved in community life from the get go. She coached swimming in the local club and became very involved in Athlone Special Olympics and was instrumental in the hosting of the World Games in Ireland," said Athlone Swimming Club.

In addition to her involvement in swimming, Patricia has volunteered in Athlone Golf Club and Buccaneers RFC and she sits on numerous civic committees, including the Athlone Festival of Europe.

"Patricia has been the captain of the Athlone Swimming Club ship since the beginning. She has worked successfully with many committees over the years. Our club has gone through a significant period of change over the last year and we feel that she has steered the ship through rocky waters when we have looked to her for reassurance, strength and resilience. She is a wise person, a great leader and has an amazing ability to bring people along with her," stated the club.

"Patricia’s name is synonymous with swimming and she is an amazing ambassador for the sport. Patricia has won many awards over the years for her unwavering commitment and service to the sports and activities that she is involved with," the club added, when putting her forward for the Hall of Fame honour.

The recipients in the Swim Ireland are as follows.

2023 Swim Ireland award winners

Club of the Year: Trojan SC.

Performance Athlete of the Year (swimming): Daniel Wiffen (Larne SC & Loughborough University).

Performance Athlete of the Year (diving): Clare Cryan (City of Sheffield Diving Club).

Performance Athlete of the Year (para swimming): Róisín Ní Riain (National Centre Limerick & Limerick SC).

Performance Coach of the Year: John Szaranek (National Centre Limerick) Brian Sweeney (Templeogue SC).

Performance Pathway Athlete of the Year (male): Jake Passmore (City of Leeds Diving Club).

Performance Pathway Athlete of the Year (female): Ellie McCartney (National Centre Limerick & Ards SC).

Performance Pathway Coach of the Year: Kevin Anderson (National Centre Ulster).

Volunteer of the Year (Connacht): Marian English (Castlebar SC).

Volunteer of the Year (Leinster): Ashley Godden (Kilkenny SC).

Volunteer of the Year (Munster): Iryna Semchiy (Sundays Well SC).

Volunteer of the Year (Ulster): Aiden McGuigan (Lurgan ASC).

Open Water Swimmer of the Year: Barry Murphy (NAC Masters SC).

Masters Swimmers of the Year: Charlotte Reid (Aer Lingus Masters SC).

Outstanding Contribution to water polo: Eamonn Caulfield (Corrib SC).

Disability Swimmer of the Year: Nicola Doran.

Official of the Year: Ken Doherty (Ballin SC).

Water Polo Player of the Year (male): Cillian Colvin (St. Vincent's SC).

Water Polo Player of the Year (female): Mairéad Baker (St. Vincent's SC).

President's Award: Ger Fleming (Asgard SC & Wexford SC).

Hall of Fame: Patricia Cleary (Athlone SC).