O’Hara inducted into Hall of Fame at TUS Sports Awards

Richard O’Hara was inducted into the Sports Department Hall of Fame at the TUS Sports Awards in Athlone last Thursday night.

The awards ceremony took place at the Shamrock Lodge Hotel with former Republic of Ireland soccer team manager Stephen Kenny the special guest on the night.

The Hall of Fame award is designed to honour former students and staff who have excelled in competition, administration or coaching at the university. Richard is one such former staff member deserving of joining the illustrious Hall of Fame.

Richie, as he is affectionately known, represented the university with distinction as Head of Sport for many years before his retirement in March 2015. Having qualified as a Physical Education Teacher in Strawberry Hill, London in 1975, Richie began his career in his native Mayo and worked as a PE teacher in a number of schools in the county before being transferred to Achill where he lived and worked running the Achill Outdoor Education Centre.

His career took a life changing step in 1981 when he secured a job in Athlone Regional Technical College, later to become Athlone Institute of Technology and now Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). Richie took charge of the Sports Department and set about putting his own stamp on its direction and development.

One of the first initiatives was to set up an elective weight training programme for students which was novel and popular in 1981. Other early tasks were focused on funding sources for respective sports clubs and societies but also recreational and competitive sports opportunities for students. He enhanced the department from a solo sports officer entity to a sports department where development officers, sports coaches and team managers would be engaged and employed on a formal basis to serve the sporting and recreational requirements of the student population.

With the cooperation of college management and a willing cohort of sports coaches, Richie was instrumental in developing and expanding sporting facilities, sports programmes and competitions, such as the cross-country track and the development of the Multi-Purpose Hall, along with getting students involved in national third level competitions.

Over the years, individuals and teams representing the college have enjoyed many successes and secured national titles which is a source of great pride to all concerned especially Richie.

The annual Sports Award Ceremony became the platform to celebrate the sporting glories of individuals and teams, to publicly acknowledge their achievements under the direction and expertise of the respective coaches. It was set up by Richie in 1984 and has evolved into an annual social highlight on the college calendar ever since. Richie has been Master of Ceremonies every year since the beginning, not being absent for even one!

There have been so many treasured moments and highlights for Richie over the years and he finds it hard to single out any one in particular. Richie took great pride in being involved with a host of individuals and teams who enjoyed participation and success but also mindful of the days when things didn’t go well and disappointment had to be faced in the eye.

Many fine students have passed through the college over the years who were highly successful in their disciplines, some of whom have achieved provincial, national and international prominence. Richie was delighted to have met them on his watch and to be able to support them on their sporting journey during their time at the university. One such method of supporting these high performing students was via the Sports Scholarship Scheme that Richie initiated in 1995.

Richie will tell you that one of the highlights of his career in TUS was the never-ending good fortune to be in a job that allowed him to meet the finest of people studying and participating in sport. He was certainly a positive supporter and role model for students and the many staff he mentored throughout the years.

Richie may be no longer hold a full-time role at the university, but he is not forgotten, and you’ll find him busy any day out at Hodson Bay, at his own company Baysports wearing his tourism hat, ensuring the public have fun on the slides at his internationally renowned Waterpark.

His legacy continues at TUS, and last year he accepted the role of Chairperson of TUS Events & Sports Services Ltd, the company that manages and maintains the university’s sports facilities. His experience and expertise will be invaluable in the coming years as the university seeks to improve and expand on these facilities.

Presenting Richie with his Hall of Fame award, TUS Sport & Recreation Manager Gordon Brett said: “In recognition of your outstanding contribution to TUS so far and your total commitment to sport on our campus, it gives me the greatest of pleasure to induct you into the TUS Sports Department Hall of Fame”.

In a light-hearted moment, Gordon quipped: “What can you give to the man that has everything?. For Richie, we can only pray that Mayo finally wins that elusive All-Ireland senior football title!”

*See this week's and next week’s Westmeath Independent editions for more photos from the TUS Sports Awards.