Patrick Kelly

St. Abban’s Athletic Club, Monavea, Co. Laois

Pat has made a huge contribution to athletics in Ireland over the past 40 years, firstly as an underage athlete when he won awards at county and provincial level at cross-country, and later as an elected member of the committee of St Abban’s Athletic Club. Pat has held the position of secretary and treasurer of the club since 1978, often combining it with his role as secretary of the county and Leinster board, as well as his director of coaching positions in both Laois and Leinster. Since 1983 he has been the driving force behind the club’s ongoing track and clubhouse development at Monavea and the facilities there are the envy of much bigger clubs in far more populated areas! His extraordinary commitment to coaching means that he is involved at all levels of the association, having built a great team of coaches at the club; many of them are former athletes. The success of the club, now ranked in the top four in Ireland overall, has brought a huge amount of pride to local people. Additionally, his involvement with club members over the years has given them a highly respected “wise head” to discuss their problems with. As a non-drinker and non-smoker, Pat is an ideal leader and role model to have in the club. Over the years he has travelled very close to one million miles in his cars, with every seat filled, to every corner of Ireland and never once has he looked for any reimbursement. He is a true volunteer.

“I am delighted to be short listed for this prestigious award and wish all fellow nominees the very best.” – Pat

Pat also takes inspiration from the following quote (which captures his life as an engineer and his involvement as an athletic coach): “A gem cannot be polished without friction nor an athlete honed without pain.” He is equally inspired by the sentiment of Sir Roger Bannister who said that “sport, like all life, is about taking risks.”

Photograph by Maureen McDonnell