GAA MacNamee award for Tuam Herald Sports Editor

‘An outstanding piece of journalism’

Feature on the late Noel Tierney

SPORTS Editor of The Tuam Herald Billy Coss is one of the winners in the prestigious GAA MacNamee Awards.

The awards are presented annually in recognition of outstanding contributions made by individuals and association units in the area of media and communications.

Billy Coss has been announced as the Provinical Media Award winner for a special four-page feature on the life of Milltown native and Galway footballer, the late Noel Tierney.

The article published in The Tuam Herald last October, 60 years after Noel was crowned Footballer of the Year in 1964, was the result of a sit down with our Sports Editor to reminisce on his glittering Galway career. Sadly, Noel passed away just a few weeks’ later.

The judges have described Billy’s article as “an outstanding piece of journalism that gave a great insight into the golden era of Galway football whilst also painting a vivid picture of Ireland in the 1960s.”

The award citation adds: “Tierney, a powerful full-back on the Galway team that won three All-Ireland titles in a row from 1964 to ‘66, was a big character off the pitch too, which really comes across in a piece that amuses as well as informs.

"Sadly, he would pass away three weeks after the interview was published. Billy Coss has done his memory a great service by penning such a fine piece.”

Billy will be presented with his award, along with other category winners, at a ceremony in Dublin tomorrow night (Saturday, November 1).

The GAA National Communication and Media Awards are named after the late Pádraig MacNamee, former President of the GAA, Chairman of the GAA Commission (1969-1971) and member of the RTÉ authority.