history

The association was formed in May 1988 with the purpose of increasing public interest in Gaelic Games in whatever areas possible. At that time there were only eight members, Adrian Logan was the first chairman, Eamonn O'Hara the first secretary and Tony McGee, Treasurer.
All members of the Association must be full-time working journalists dealing with GAA matters in the course of their work in either the written media, the electronic media or photographers - but, in all cases, GAA affairs must feature largely in their work.
To get the fledgling association up and running it was essential to get a sponsor and Brian Houston, PR Manager for the Ulster Brewery, was approached about sponsorship and he readily agreed to back the Ulster GAA Writers' Association financially.
Sponsorship, in the shape of specially designed and engraved pieces of Belleek Pottery for the monthly and annual award winners has also been in place since the start and, recently, Galway Crystal has sponsored The Ladies' Gifts at the annual banquet, while Bushmills and more recently AIB First Trust Bank have also provided gifts at the annual banquet, which is the highlight of the year.
The association meets monthly in Quinn's Corner, Ballygawley where various items are discussed and the Monthly Merit Award winner is chosen. The award which can go to anyone connected with the GAA but generally to a player, carries a prize of a £100 Tennent's Sports Voucher, a specially designed and engraved Belleek China Vase and other gifts. The awards are presented at a monthly function, which is normally held in the Ulster Brewery in Belfast.

ANNUAL AWARDS.
As well as the monthly awards ten annual awards are presented at the Annual Banquet, a black tie function that is the highlight of the Social GAA calendar and is always sold out well in advance of the date, which is now firmly fixed for the 3rd Friday in November.
The Annual Awards are presented for Footballer of the Year (Men and Women), Hurling, Camogie, Handball, Refereeing, Communications, Club of the Year, Personality of the Year and Services to the GAA. A feature of the banquet is The Ballot of Prizes, with up to ten sponsored prizes including a trip for two to somewhere such as Paris or New York raising thousands of pounds annually and the money collected goes to a nominated charity every year - GOAL, St Vincent de Paul, the Omagh Disaster Fund, the Quinn Family Appeal, The Children's Hospice Appeal and The Leukemia Research Fund have all benefited.
Invited to the banquet are the President of the GAA, members of the Ulster Executive, representatives from the Ulster Handball Council, the Ulster Camogie Council and the Ulster Ladies' Football Association. County Board officers from all nine counties in Ulster, Senior football and Senior hurling county and provincial managers in Ulster plus all the monthly award winners. The annual winners are not disclosed until the moment of presentation at the banquet. Invited, too, are personnel from the Sports Council for Northern Ireland and the various sponsors. Some tickets are on sale but there is generally a waiting list, with regulars returning year after year.
On the day after the function a Bunker Blitz Golf Competition, sponsored by Tennents is usually organised for those attending the banquet.