McCarthy family honoured on Late Late Show special

A Mullingar family were brought to tears on Friday night after being awarded the Late Late Show GAA Community Spirit Award.

The special episode of the Late Late Show, dedicated to the GAA, featured some of the biggest names in the sport, but it was the McCarthy family’s remarkable contribution to handball that stole the spotlight.

Hosted by Patrick Kielty, the show included leading lights of the GAA such as president, Jarlath Burns, and 2024 All-Ireland-winning captains Aidan Forker (Armagh), Tony Kelly (Clare), Niamh Carmody (Kerry), and Molly Lynch (Cork).

At the start of the programme, RTÉ commentator Marty Morrissey surprised the McCarthys by inviting them to Dublin to take part in the broadcast, but the family had no idea what was in store.

Their dedication to handball spans three generations, during which they have claimed 85 All-Ireland handball titles, including three for the grandchildren of the family, and 15 gold medals at the World Handball Championships. The club have won 99 All-Ireland titles.

Beyond their competitive success, Natasha and Aoife McCarthy have taken their passion for the sport further by running an “All-Stars” group, a unique programme that teaches handball to children with special needs. This initiative is the only one of its kind in Ireland.

Natasha McCarthy said the family are overwhelmed with the award and were surprised when they were invited to the RTÉ studios on Friday.

“It was amazing and the response has been overwhelming. We have had messages of support and congratulations from all of the clubs and from teachers in the schools where we coach. We are catering for around 1,000 school pupils at the moment and the sport is growing in popularity; we have over 100 members in the Mullingar club,” she said.

“I’m so proud for my parents, my dad, as he has dedicated his life to playing and coaching handball, and my mam has been a rock of support for him. It’s a deserved honour for them.”

Natasha said the family were taken aback when Marty Morrissey turned up in the Mullingar club on Friday and they were driven to Dublin on a bus, hired for the occasion from Slevin’s Coaches.

“We didn’t expect that was going to happen; we thought we were just going to be interviewed and I was going though some questions, preparing dad and Robbie for what might be asked.

“We learned we were going to the show and that was a fantastic surprise; we mixed with all the guests in the green room and everyone was lovely. Then when it was announced we were getting the award, it was just amazing; we were overcome by the whole experience,” she said.

Patrick Kielty said to them: “We haven’t been completely honest with you: the truth is, we’ve heard from so many people how important you are to handball in Mullingar. From bringing home the trophies to Tina’s toasties, and your incredible All-Stars initiative for kids with special needs, you have been the driving force behind handball in Ireland. Your club in Mullingar might not even exist without you,” he remarked.

“So, it gives us great pleasure to present you with this year’s GAA Late Late Show Community Service Award.”

The McCarthys were visibly emotional as they accepted the accolade. Grandad Robbie wiped away tears, and the entire family beamed with pride as Kielty handed them the award. The surprises didn’t end there as the family were also gifted €2,000 to spend on their next holiday, adding to the night’s memorable celebrations.

Their tireless dedication and passion for handball have cemented their place as the “epicentre” of the GAA community in Mullingar. Friday’s recognition will be remembered as a proud moment, for the McCarthy family, and for handball in Mullingar.

Their unselfish work at promoting and developing the game is remarkable and for so many years they have been nurturing talent and breaking barriers, inspiring the younger generation to play the game. “My dad has coached his grandchildren in the club and once they called him grandad, all the other children started to do the same. We have a proper little community here in Mullingar,” said Natasha.