Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley has won the SSE Airtricity / Soccer Writers Ireland Men’s Personality of the Year award for a third time.
The Hoops manager and Peamount United midfielder Karen Duggan won the showpiece awards at the SWI’s annual Personality of the Year banquet on Friday, held at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre.
Bradley was honoured once again after guiding Rovers to a record-equalling fourth league title in a row. He created history last year by becoming the first recipient of the award in successive years – and now joins Stephen Kenny and Jim McLaughlin as a three time winner of the Dan McCaffrey Men’s Personality of the Year accolade.
Bradley won the vote ahead of Damien Duff who finished second and FAI Cup winning manager Jon Daly in third. Ruairi Keating, Roberto Lopes and Kevin Doherty also made the shortlist for their achievements this year.
Former Republic of Ireland stalwart Karen Duggan was named the Women’s Personality of the Year, in the third edition of the award. The Peamount United captain led her team in reclaiming the Women’s Premier Division title this season.
Duggan has been an exemplary presence in James O’Callaghan’s Peas squad, with her consistently excellent performances and leadership of a young squad ensuring she claimed the prize, as voted for by SWI members.
She follows in the footsteps of the inaugural winner, Wexford Youths’ Kylie Murphy and the 2022 recipient Pearl Slattery of Shelbourne.
O’Callaghan and Peamount’s Irish international star Erin McLaughlin, Athlone Town duo Dana Scheriff and Ciaran Kilduff and Shamrock Rovers’ Aine O’Gorman completed the six-person shortlist.
The annual awards banquet also saw Derry City’s Brian Maher named Goalkeeper of the Year, pipping Shelbourne’s Conor Kearns and Peamount United’s Niamh Reid Burke to claim the prize for the first time. The 23-year-old was previously nominated for the award last year.
The evening’s guest of honour, Republic of Ireland legend Liam Brady, was the recipient of the International Achievement Award to recognise a senior Ireland career that spanned 16 years and 72 caps. Brady also served as the Republic of Ireland assistant manager under Giovanni Trapattoni, working alongside Marco Tardelli.
2023 marks the 50th anniversary of his senior debut for Arsenal and Soccer Writers Ireland are proud to celebrate one of Irish football’s greatest ever ambassadors.
Phil Mooney was named the latest winner of the Liam Tuohy Special Merit Award, as a mark of acknowledgment for his 40 years’ service to St Patrick’s Athletic in a number of key roles including secretary, League of Ireland representative and director. He now serves as the club President.
First introduced in 1994, the Liam Tuohy Special Merit award recognises those who have served Irish football with distinction.
