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EirGrid Launches GAA Community Heroes Campaign 2026

Monday, 20 April 2026 12:27

Former Cork hurler Diarmuid O’Sullivan, former Kilkenny Camogie player Anne Dalton and Eamon McGee, former Donegal footballer at launch of EirGrid’s GAA Community Heroes in Croke Park.

Nationwide competition to recognise Ireland’s most inspirational GAA volunteers.

EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid, and official TimingPartner of the GAA and Camogie Championships is launcing its GAA Community Heroes Campaign for 2026.  

This year’s campaign is being supported by former Cork hurler Diarmuid O’Sullivan, former Kilkenny Camogie player Anne Dalton and Eamon McGee, former Donegal footballer.

They were joined by sports broadcaster Valerie Wheeler for an official launch event in Croke Park this week.

Now in its second year, the campaign is recognising the role GAA volunteers play in enriching and sustaining communities around the country through a nationwide competition. 

The campaign aims to reflect EirGrid’s broader commitment and emphasis on engaging with local communities.  

As the operator of Ireland’s electricity grid, EirGrid is working to ensure a safe, secure, and reliable energy supply, while leading the transition to a cleaner, greener future.

As well as celebrating an overall national winner, this year’s campaign has been widened to recognise more inspirational volunteers from around the country.

A preliminary round will see four provincial winners and four runners-up selected. 

The provincial winners’ designated clubs will each receive €5,000, while there will be awards of €1,500 to the clubs of the runners-up.

An overall national winner will be selected from the provincial winners, and their club will receive an additional €5,000, for a total award of €10,000. 

Last year’s Community Heroes competition received many exceptional entries and was ultimately won by Mary Cooke of Naomh Bríd GAA in Laghey, Co Donegal. 

Mary embodies the spirit of community and volunteerism that the award seeks to recognise.  

EirGrid is now calling on GAA supporters to nominate a volunteer for 2026 who goes above and beyond in the time and dedication that they give to their local club and community. 

Speaking about the GAA Community Heroes Campaign, EirGrid’s Chief Executive Cathal Marley commented:  

“Following on from the success of EirGrid’s GAA Community Heroes Campaign in 2025, I am delighted that we are running the campaign again this
year to recognise the important work done by volunteers in supporting and sustaining local clubs around the country.  

“These ideas of community and volunteerism are ones that we share at EirGrid. 

We are committed to engaging with local communities and recognise the important role that they play in supporting our work in developing the
electricity grid to ensure a more reliable and secure supply of electricity for everyone.”  

Commenting on the launch of the competition, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Jarlath Burns said:

“It is fantastic to see the launch again this year of EirGrid’s GAA Community Heroes Campaign.  

“As we all know, volunteers are the backbone not just of our local clubs, but also of local communities across Ireland.  

"For more than 140 years the GAA has been built on the volunteerism that seesordinary men and women inspired to give an extraordinary commitment to serve something bigger than themselves and to ensure that the GAA is the incredible success story that it is. 

“The Community Heroes Campaign is a great way in which we can recognise the vital role and fantastic work of volunteers in sustaining their clubs and communities.”  

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