Wallace honoured at gala All-Star event
Damien Maher
Westmeath and Multyfarnham star Ronan Wallace was beaming with pride as he was officially presented with his All-Star award at a gala event in The RDS, Dublin, on Friday evening.
The event was televised live on RTE One television and a big number of supporters were there to support the Westmeath wing-back as he picked up the award. He was also joined by family members and team colleagues.
Ronan Wallace, interviewed on the night, paid tribute to his club, Multyfarnham, for the progress they have made.
With an estimated population of only 490 people, Multyfarnham now boasts being home to the Leinster winning captain and the local GAA club’s first ever All-Star. Wallace was joined on stage by Conn Kilpatrick (Tyrone), Stephen O’Hanlon (Monaghan) and Kobe McDonald (Mayo).
“It’s a proud day for the parish,” beamed the Westmeath captain.
“For me to be captain of Westmeath and then become an All-Star, it’s testament to what is going on in the underage set-up in Mutyfarnham. It’s a credit to the people involved.”
Westmeath had four players nominated after winning their second ever Leinster SFC title: Wallace was joined by Matthew Whittaker, Sam McCartan and Bradon Kelly on the list of nominees, with Tubberclair star Whittaker considered extremely unlucky to miss out on an award. He spoke of the great collegiality among the players and how former Donegal footballer Mark McHugh has created a winning mentality.
“We have a great bunch of players now, and Mark McHugh has really instilled a togetherness over the last year or so. We have a great bond and it could have been anyone of the four who were nominated up on the stage - it just happens to be me. It’s a team effort at the end of the day,” he remarked.
Wallace became the fifth Westmeath footballer to receive an All-Star. He follows in the footsteps of Athlone's Rory O'Connell (2001), Garrycastle's Dessie Dolan (2004), Rosemount's John Keane (2004 and 2008) and Tubberclair's Gary Connaughton (2008). Westmeath's first All-Star winner was hurling ace David Kilcoyne in 1986.
The All-Stars are chosen by a panel of Gaelic games correspondents from across print, radio, tv and digital media and chaired by Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns. The overall PwC GAA GPA Player and Young Player of the Year awards are chosen by the inter-county players themselves. The awards were presented at a special black-tie function held in Dublin’s RDS on Friday evening.
“Every year the All-Stars reminds us of how lucky we are to have such incredible ambassadors for hurling and football entertaining us and inspiring us. Since 1971 we can use these awards to trace a path back through generations of iconic players who elevated skills into art, and we are enormously grateful to PwC for helping us to maintain this tradition. The Class of 2026 are no different," said GAA President Jarlath Burns.