Portlaoise garda wins national Siamsa award

A PORTLAOISE-BASED garda has won a national Siamsa award for sporting excellence, having led his native Tipperary to victory in last year’s All-Ireland senior hurling final.

Gda Ronan Maher was presented with the award on Friday night, at the 30th An Garda Síochána Coiste Siamsa Sportstar Awards ceremony in Limerick.

The All Ireland-winning captain from Thurles works with the community policing unit in Portlaoise Garda Station, having joined the force in 2020. He was first stationed in Tullamore before transferring to Portlaoise.

Garda Maher was one of only 10 gardaí presented with a Siamsa award at the event, which honoured serving and retired members who have made ‘an outstanding and significant contribution’ to sports and sports administration.

The citation accompanying the Siamsa award said: ‘Ronan is an exemplary member of An Garda Síochána, who continues to achieve sporting excellence on the field.’ 

The annual awards recognise the achievements of gardaí who take part in sports at the highest levels while also serving on the force, combining and balancing the demands of both.

Also a hurley maker, Gda Maher made history last summer when he collected his third Celtic Cross (2016, 2019, 2025) and was added to the Thurles Sarsfields wall of winners’ mural outside Semple Stadium, for players who have captained Tipperary to All-Ireland senior hurling titles.

He made his Tipperary senior debut in 2014 after successes at minor and U21 levels and his hugely successful career has included three All-Star awards, as well as the additional accolade of Man of the Match award in the 2025 All-Ireland final.

He also has three county senior hurling medals with Thurles Sarsfields and has fond memories of winning Fitzgibbon Cups with Mary Immaculate College in 2016 and 2017.

Following last summer’s success, Gda Maher and his colleagues in Portlaoise hosted an event with the Little Blue Heroes Foundation, which supports families of children with serious illnesses across Ireland.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, who is President of Coiste Siamsa, said: ‘These awards provide an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate the outstanding sporting achievements of members of An Garda Síochána, as well as the positive role that sport continues to play within our organisation and across the communities we serve.’ 

Congratulating all winners, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, chair of Coiste Siamsa, said the annual awards provided an opportunity to acknowledge ‘the dedication, perseverance and exceptional achievements’ of past and present members.