On Friday 20th February 2026, the 30th An Garda Síochána Coiste Siamsa Awards took place in Limerick. Award winners: • Jamie Rigney – Taekwondo (Sport Star) – RSU, Limerick • Sheila Clavin – Rowing (Sport Star) – Rathkeale Garda Station • Martin O’Dwyer – Golf (Sport Star) – Dunmore East Garda Station • Damien Maher – Rugby (Special Contribution) – RSU, Dublin • Ian Redican – UPSE/Athletics (Sports Administrator Award) – Technical Bureau • Paul Norton – Soccer (Sport Star) – Garda Headquarters • Garda College Hurling Team (Team Award) – Garda College • Ronan Maher – Hurling (Sport Star) – Portlaoise Garda Station • Liam Kearns - Posthumous induction to Hall of Fame • Jim McGowan – Coiste Siamsa Acknowledgement Award – Retired These awards are held each year to recognise members of An Garda Síochána and Garda staff – serving and retired – who have made an outstanding and significant contribution to sports and sports administration. The awards recognise the achievements of the recipients who partake in sports at the highest levels whilst being fulltime members of An Garda Síochána, combining and balancing the demands of both. Involvement in sports at all levels (part-time, amateur, recreational and at the highest national and international levels) and involvement in sports administration in sports club across the country is an integral part of An Garda Síochána Community Policing ethos, being involved and active in our communities. The awards were hosted by Limerick Garda Division on Friday 20th February 2026. Charity Partners for the event are Children’s Grief Centre & Limerick Mental Health Association. Speaking at the Awards Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, President of Coiste Siamsa, said: "These awards provide an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate the outstanding sporting achievements of members of An Garda Síochána, as well as the positive role that sport continues to play within our organisation and across the communities we serve.” Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, Chairperson of Coiste Siamsa, said: "As a sports body Coiste Siamsa continues to recognise the outstanding sporting achievements by Garda members across many sports. Our annual awards ceremony provides the opportunity to formally acknowledge the dedication and exceptional achievements of both past and present members of An Garda Síochána. The outstanding accomplishments of our award recipients, which are celebrated at this event, are the result of personal dedication, perseverance, and devotion, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to those receiving awards and those who were nominated.” Background to Coiste Siamsa: Thursday, the 21st of June 1962, saw the opening meeting of the Ard-Comhairle of Coiste Siamsa at the Depot Library in Garda Headquarters. The last 60 years have seen some major sporting achievements by Garda members at local, national and international level. Many of those sporting heroes have been honoured by their induction into the Garda Síochána Coiste Siamsa Hall of Fame. One of the highlights of the sporting year is the Annual Coiste Siamsa Sportstar Awards, where members are honoured for their achievements and contributions to sport. In its present form, Coiste Siamsa is the governing body of sporting clubs at national level in the organisation. The current Chairperson is Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman. At local level, each Chief Superintendent is asked to assume Chairmanship of their Divisional Coiste Roinne. The efficient operation of the sporting body is facilitated by a network of Sports Representatives and Provincial and Divisional Secretaries. Coiste Siamsa An Garda Síochána is an associate member of the Union Sportive des Polices d’Europe (USPE), the European Police Sports Association. USPE, whose headquarters and full-time Secretariat is in Germany, was founded in 1950 and currently consists of over 40 member countries. Its primary purpose is to organise and coordinate police sports com-petitions across Europe. Over the years, An Garda Síochána has participated in USPE competitions including soccer, swimming, cycling, basketball, marathon, cross-country and table tennis. European Police Competitions (EPCs), in each sport, take place every four years. Ireland has hosted many EPCs; Cycling in 1992; Cross-Country in 2000; Women’s Basketball in 2011; Marathon in 2018; and we also twice held USPE Congresses in 1992 and 2012. Some of the most notable successes include the Ladies Basketball team who won the 2011 EPC Women’s Basketball; and David Mansfield who won the 2018 EPC Marathon. Elections to the Executive Committee and Technical Commission take place at USPE Congress. Such is the esteem in which Ireland is held by the member countries, that an Irish candidate has been voted in and honoured to hold a seat, since 1996, on the USPE Technical Commission through George Maybury, Brian Brunton, Paul Moran, and currently Ian Redican. | 