'Hero of the Year' honour for Edenderry boxing coach

Liam Brereton of St Brigid's Edenderry Boxing Club received a major national honour at the weekend when he was named 'Hero of the Year' at the National Lottery Good Causes awards.

Liam earned the award for his outstanding commitment to Edenderry Boxing Club and his work promoting inclusivity and female boxing.

He was presented with the accolade, which includes a €5,000 prize, at an awards ceremony hosted by Marty Whelan and held at Killashee House Hotel in Naas.

Liam's family connection to the St Brigid's club goes back generations. His involvement deepened in 2012 when his daughter took up the sport, inspiring him to develop programmes for young women and improve facilities.

Under his leadership, the club became a hub for female boxing and now hosts international training camps with athletes from countries such as India and Taiwan.

Liam also arranges local housing for visiting athletes, strengthening ties between Edenderry and the global boxing community.

The club has been operating since the 1930s. It was once male-only, but now some 75% of its members, coaches, and committee members are women.

The National Lottery said its Good Causes awards are designed to honour "the inspiring work and achievements of projects, clubs and individuals from all over Ireland who, with the help of National Lottery Good Causes part-funding, have had an extraordinary impact on their local communities."

AkiDwA (Alliance for Immigrant and Refugee Women in Ireland) received the top award as the overall Good Cause of the Year for 2025.

The award presentations at the event were made by special guests including the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform, Jack Chambers; broadcasters Miriam O'Callaghan and Dáithí O’Sé, and others.