Jackie O’Rourke, originally from Kilcock and currently living in England, tonight collected her ‘2018 Camogie Association Volunteer of the Year Award for Britain’ at a function in Croke Park.

The Camogie Association presented the award to one winner from every county, with Jackie claiming her prize for the whole of Britain in respect of the trojan amount of work she gets through on and more importantly off the field for her club Fullen Gaels.

According to her club’s Facebook page Jackie has played Camogie with Fullen Gaels for five seasons now and a spokesperson said; “She is an influencial and hard working player both on and off the pitch, and a worthy winner. Well done Jackie, enjoy the celebrations”

Jackie, who played underage and adult Camogie for Cappagh Gaa as well as enjoying a short stint on the football field with Kilcock, moved to Manchester in 2010 to attend college, where she studied Sports Rehabilitation. Away from the stress of college life it didn’t take her long to find her first love. Camogie, when she joined the local side Fullen Gaels.

Not one to rest on her laurels, Jackie is currently back in college again, where she is in 2nd year studying Occupational Therapy and has recently just moved to Liverpool after eight years living in Manchester. Jackie doesn’t intend on letting her team mates and club down though, as she plans to travel along with a friend to Manchester to turn out for Fullen Gaels. After all that’s what true volunteers do. No surprise so that the former Courtown Road resident was up in HQ tonight collecting a very prestigous award on behalf of the whole of Britain.

*Jackie comes from a Gaa mad family that goes back a long way in Kilcock Gaa and her brother Shane is a current top forward with the mens Intermediate team. She is the daughter of Annette and Liam O’Rourke some might best remember her for her days working in the Black Forest Cafe, where her infectious smile lit up the customer’s day!

**I myself trained Jackie during that aforementioned stint on the football field and a nicer girl you would have had to go a long way to meet. Congratulations Jackie.