McManus to be honoured for services to GAA

MILLIONAIRE business man J.P. McManus is to be honoured by GAA president, Sean Kelly for his service to the Association.

The Limerick man is one of 21 recipients of Presidential awards to be presented at a gala function in Cork on Sunday night. The awards, instigated by Mr Kelly last year, honour those who show outstanding commitment and dedication to the GAA at all levels.

Mr McManus is being honoured for his extraordinary €5m present to the Limerick County Board last year, which helped alleviate a crippling debt from the development of the Gaelic Grounds.

In an Irish Examiner interview to be published this Thursday, the media-shy entrepreneur is asked why he handed over such a huge sum to Limerick GAA. “Because they needed it,” he dead-panned.

Mr McManus is known worldwide for his business acumen, but it was as a 21-year-old chairman of the South Liberties club in Limerick that he first made his mark in the world of sport.

Chairman of the GAA’s Social Awards work group, Jim Forbes, said that Mr McManus was one of 21 deserving recipients, each of whom had made a significant contribution to the Association.

Over 250 guests are expected at the second President’s awards at Cork’s Rochestown Park Hotel.