The award featured here was presented to Ger Loughnane in 1974 for hurling. He later managed the Clare team which had phenomenal success from the mid-nineties onwards, winning All Ireland honours in ’95 and’97.

When he stepped down from managing the Clare team, he was given a Civic Reception by Clare County Council on 15th October 2000 at the Old Ground Hotel. On the night the words he spoke were memorable in their humility, as he said, ‘Clare’s hurling achievements had its foundation in previous management teams, players and supporters’. He also stated that ‘it was not my sole endeavour that made the difference’. He subsequently published his autobiography and since he retired from management, he has been a frequent commentary panellist for GAA Games televised on RTE.

The All Star awards for Hurlers and Footballers was inaugurated in 1971 to formally honour the top GAA performers of that year.

The awards recognised playing ability and sportmanship of players from all teams in hurling and football at inter-county level and not just the players on the All-Ireland teams of that year. Each recipient formed the All Star Teams for that year which would then spend a short period touring the West Coast of America, playing exhibition games against Irish-American teams in both hurling and football.