Civic reception for ‘inspirational’ Leona
Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council Councillor Clifford Kelly has hailed the extraordinary achievements of Cavan’s golf superstar Leona Maguire in The Solheim Cup as “an inspiration to young and old”.
Not content with making history as the first Irish woman to feature in the prestigious competition, which pits the best female golfers from Europe and USA against each other, the Ballyconnell rookie utterly dominated the field, leading Team Europe to victory by winning 4.5 points out of a possible five, and finishing the tournament as the only player to be selected in all five matches.
Winning plaudits for her flawless putting and unflappable demeanour throughout the weekend, the two-time Olympian twice came up trumps against the world number one, Nelly Korda, and was described afterwards as “the one we have to fear for a long time,” by Team USA Captain Pat Hurst.
Cathaoirleach, Cllr Kelly said: “All of us in Cavan have been aware of Leona’s prodigious talent for a long time, having followed her success and that of her twin sister Lisa from a young age, but this weekend she showed the world what we already know – she is a superstar.
“The hosting of a civic reception is a reserved function for the elected members of Cavan County Council to confer upon a distinguished individual for their achievements and no-one is more deserving than Leona Maguire. Whether on the LPGA tour, at the Olympic Games, or during her spectacular success at the Solheim Cup, she has represented her county, her country, and indeed the continent of Europe, with humility, dignity, and class,” added Cllr Kelly.
Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Tommy Ryan said: “On behalf of the management and staff of Cavan County Council, I wish to congratulate Leona Maguire on her outstanding achievement. The composure and skill she has shown to succeed at the very pinnacle of her sport is testament to the many years she has dedicated to honing her talents. I welcome the decision of our elected members to honour Leona with a civic reception and look forward to congratulating her in person on what is, I’m sure, the first of many such successes"...”