Athletics Ireland Girls Squad Programme Wins Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity at 2026 Irish Sport Industry Awards
Athletics Ireland has been recognised at the 2026 Irish Sport Industry Awards, with the Athletics Ireland Girls Squad Programme winning the prestigious Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity category.
Presented at the Federation of Irish Sport Industry Awards at the College Green Banking Hall in Dublin, the award celebrates organisations and programmes that are making a meaningful impact in encouraging greater participation, inclusion, leadership and long-term engagement for women and girls in sport.
The Athletics Ireland Girls Squad Programme was recognised for its outstanding contribution in addressing the dropout of teenage girls from sport. Built on the HERMoves framework, the Girls Squad priorities enjoyment, confidence, and personal development over competition, delivering structured athletics sessions and life skills education schools.
Collecting the award was Anna Grealish, Women in Sport Lead for Athletics Ireland, who said: “The Girls Squad Programme is focused on re-engaging teenage girls in secondary school with sport – particularly those who may not see themselves as sporty or who may have fallen out of love with physical activity.
Built on the HER Moves principles in collaboration with Sport Ireland, the programme has created supportive and inclusive environments where girls can reconnect with athletics in a positive way. More recently, we have expanded the initiative beyond schools and into athletics clubs across the country, creating even more opportunities for participation and community connection.
We are now at an exciting stage in the programme’s development where we want to take the next step and work with a partner who shares our vision and can help us grow the initiative to an even greater level of impact.”
Athletics Ireland also enjoyed strong recognition across multiple categories at the 2026 Irish Sport Industry Awards. In addition to the Girls Squad Programme category win, Athletics Ireland was shortlisted for National Governing Body of the Year, while the McCabes Pharmacy Fit For Life initiative was nominated in the Commercial Partnership of the Year category. Athletics Ireland Women in Sport Lead, Anna Grealish, was also recognised with a nomination in the Women in Sport Award category, highlighting the organisation’s continued leadership and commitment to inclusion and participation across Irish sport.
Athletics Ireland offered a special congratulations to Greg Allen on receiving the prestigious Jimmy Magee (ASJI) Sports Coverage of the Year Award on the night, recognising his outstanding contribution to Irish sports broadcasting over several decades.
2026 Irish Sport Industry Awards
Category Winner: Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity
Winner: Athletics Ireland Girls Squad Programme
