The Irish News Ulster All-Stars in association with Kingsbridge Private Hospital Group was launched last week with a peek at this year’s new kit and a chance for readers to pick their top teams from across four codes.
At an event at Stock in St George’s Market in Belfast, representatives gathered from men’s and ladies’ football, hurling and camogie, along with title sponsors Kingsbridge Private Hospital Group to unveil the new kit and launch this year’s awards.
Gold sponsors O’Neill’s Sportswear, Spar NI, Options IT and TD Active Holidays are also supporting this year’s awards and those at last week’s launch got to see the specially-commissioned 2024 Irish News All-Stars kit, which has once again been supplied by O’Neill’s.
This year, the kit is modelled by past All-Star winners Paddy Burke (Antrim hurling), Caitrin Dobbin (Antrim camogie) and Natasha Ferris (Down ladies’ football).
This year’s Irish News All-Stars awards will take place on September 27 in the ICC Belfast, after two highly-successful years in the Ulster Hall.
It will once again be compered by Neil Delamere and honour All-Star teams in men’s and ladies’ football, hurling and camogie as well as naming four Players of the Year in the respective
Speaking at the launch, Irish News Sports Editor Paul McConville said: “We will once again be picking the knowledgeable brains of Irish News readers and asking them to choose their top performers across the four teams.
“This will be the fifth year we have named All-Star teams in all four codes and I don’t think our readers have been too wide of the mark with their selections in that time.
“Last year, more than 30,000 votes were cast by Irish News readers, a record number of votes and we are expecting an even bigger response this time around.”
Voting for this year’s All-Stars opens on Monday July 1 and continues until August 2. Readers will be asked to select a team in one of the four codes before making a choice of their Player of the Year from their selected team. You can select a team for each of the four codes.
As an added incentive, our sponsor TD Active Holidays are offering everyone who votes on our website the chance to enter a draw for a seven-night holiday in Croatia.
Irish News Editor-in-Chief Chris Sherrard said: “The All-Stars is a big night in the local sporting calendar and one of the highlights of the year for us at The Irish News.
“The calibre of performances by Ulster GAA teams and players once again this year has been of the highest level.
“Irish News readers have a very tough job deciding winners and those who will pick up All-Stars, but what a nice problem to have.
“The countdown is now well and truly underway to the big night in September so good luck to everyone involved.”