Henshaw is Westmeath Independent Sports Star of the Year

Irish rugby starlet Robbie Henshaw was selected as the 2013 Westmeath Independent Sports Star of the Year at a special ceremony in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel on Friday night.

A near capacity attendance gathered in the popular Athlone venue to acclaim another bumper year for local sport at a ceremony sponsored by the Shamrock Lodge Hotel.

Award winners for each of the twelve months of 2013 were in attendance to receive their monthly awards at the ceremony, hosted by RTE radio broadcaster and producer Robbie Irwin.

Henshaw, the Connacht and Ireland player, was honoured for his meteoric rise through the sporting ranks during a remarkable year, which saw him make his debut in an Irish shirt during a summer tour of USA and Canada.

Henshaw spoke of how he pleased he was to be honoured in his home town by his own local paper.

Sinead Farrell and Heather Payne, both members of the Irish Schools Under 15 girls soccer squad, were chosen as the winners of the Readers Choice Award while basketball legend Paddy Mullally was honoured with the Hall of Fame Award.

The gathering enjoyed a sumptuous meal and listened intently as the huge variety and depth of sporting talent in the region during 2013 was outlined.

See Wednesday’s paper for full details and pictures