Celebrating Women in Motorsport: Honouring Achievements on Two Special Occasions
Autocross Night of Champions
The 2024 Autocross Night of Champions took place at the Lady Gregory Hotel in Gort on Saturday, January 25th. The event was a great success, with 10 female competitors receiving awards on the night. Also in attendance were many of the women who contributed as volunteers throughout the year, serving as Clerks of the Course, Stewards, Marshals, and Timekeepers.
The Autocross Commission deserves recognition for its efforts in encouraging female participation in the sport, and we look forward to an even more successful 2025. Special guest Aoife Raftery, a rally driver, shared her experiences and passion for motorsport, inspiring many of the female competitors in attendance.
Below are the females who received awards:
Tallybrooke Civil Eng National Loose Surface Autocross Championship
Overall 2WD Saloons: 2nd in class Patricia Denning Class 1: 3rd in class Jenna Mulcaire Class 3: 3rd in class Niamh Driver
Shannon Trophies National Grass Autocross Championship
Intermediate: 1st in class Katelyn Long. 2nd in class Chloe Anderson Junior Saloon 9A: 1st in class Nicole O’Leary. 2nd in class Emma Long
Munster Autocross Championship
Class 1: 1st in class Jenna Mulcaire Class 3: 1st in class Patricia Denning. 3rd in class Niamh Driver
Photo by John Delaney
Her Sport Awards 2024: Celebrating Ireland’s Top Female Athletes
The annual Her Sport Awards, presented by Lidl Ireland, took place at the Astra Hall at University College Dublin also on Saturday Night January 25th celebrating Ireland's top female athletes, their inspiring achievements and the dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all possible.
Motorsport was represented for the first by Hanna Celsie who was a nominee in the Personality of the Year. category. Eimear Considine Irish Rugby player claimed the title after making an inspiring return to rugby following a two-year break, post maternity leave and an injury. The evening featured an inspiring panel discussion, themed 'Breaking Barriers', with insights from Irish Rugby star Béibhinn Parsons, Head of Women’s Strategy at Irish Rugby, Lynne Cantwell and Tyrone GAA Star and Women’s Sports Advocate Conor Meyler. The panelists shared their perspectives and experiences on overcoming challenges and driving progress in women’s sport in Ireland.
Hanna Celsie