Kildare athletes win three medals at European Transplant Sports Championships

Kildare men James Nolan and Robbie England were part of the Irish Transplant team of 25 athletes, led by Team Manager Harry Ward from Baldoyle, who returned from the European Transplant Sports Championships held in Lisbon, Portugal with athletes  bringing home a staggering 65 medals, consisting of 28 Gold, 21 Silver and seven Bronze medals It was an amazing week for Team  Ireland who competed in a number of disciplines including golf, swimming, cycling, tennis, darts, petanque, table tennis, badminton, tenpin bowling, and Athletics.  

Kildare man Robbie England - competing at his first Championships – was first to compete in the Badminton court and he set the  standard high with his Silver medal in the singles event. Having won the first four of his matches, Robbie faced the eventual  champion. With the support from his wife Gillian and baby – along with his parents – Robbie played a stormer. Even though it was  his first experience of Transplant Sport, Robbie vows to return.  

Over in the other side of Lisbon, the Team Golf was underway in scorching conditions but that did not hamper the Irish. Well known Kilcullen businessman and philanthropist James Nolan and his golfing partner Mick Dwyer took the Gold medal. The next day James  Nolan braved the challenging conditions once again to take the Silver. It was a particularly poignant day for James as he received his  kidney transplant donated by his sister Catherine 37 years ago on that very day! Surely no better way to show Organ Donation works!  

There were many standout monemts for Team Irealnd. Mairéad O’Mahony from Berrings in Cork secured five gold medals describing the whole experience as “mind-blowing” and recalled her transplant journey 27 years ago as a young teenager diagnosed  with leukaemia.

Mick O’Shea from Mallow scooped six medals including gold in the 200m and in the 100m with a personal-best  time. He took two silvers for cycling events, saying afterwards: “Organ donation was the real winner today”. Amanda O’Neill Coyne  from Youghal started her week by winning Gold in the 5K Mini marathon which she walked in memory of her late father, then she  scooped Silver in the Singles Golf and finished off her week in style by wining Gold in the Doubles Petanque with her partner Marie  O Connor from Clare, who went on to win a further 2 Gold and Bronze medals.

Mike Keohane from Rosscarbery won Silver in his  shot put throw of over 10 metres, followed it up with Silver in the 5K racewalk. Golfer Hugh Nolan from Doneraile won Silver in the  Singles Golf and Gold in the Team golf with partner Pat O’Sullivan from Mallow, Pat also took Gold in the Singles and Bronze in the  100 metre sprint. Finny O Regan from Dublin took Bronze in Darts Triples, Dialysis patient Ronan Coughlan scooped Gold (Darts  singles), Silver(Golf) and Bronze (Darts triples), Double lung recipient Victor Conroy won 2 Gold (Darts & Shot Put) and Silver (swimming), Trevor Lynch from Limerick won Gold and Bronze in the athletics, Mike Kiely from Mitchelstown and Robert Merrigan won two Silver medals in the Golf singles and team event. The youngest member of the team 15 year old Laura McDowell from  Dalkey won 4 Gold medals in the 5k, 100m, 200m and the long jump. The most senior member of the team Ron Grainger won 3 Gold  medals in the Golf singles, the 100m and the long jump.

Kidney recipient Mick Dwyer from Cabinteely won 2 Gold in the Golf, Silver  and bronze in the darts singles and triples events. Heart recipient Robert McCutcheon won 1 Gold and 2 Silver medals in his athletic  events. Tom O’ Reilly won Gold and bronze in the darts singles and triples and Finny o Regan won bronze in the darts triples. Team  Manager Harry Ward a kidney recipient from Baldoyle, took Bronze in the Pétanque, Sheila Gregan took Bronze in her 30k cycle, and  her times in this, combined with her swim and 5k mini marathon event, ensured she took the Silver in the Virtual Triathlon. She  spoke on her success and emphasises that whilst she is delighted with the medal success, she feels she has ‘already won’ when she  got her transplant. 

But it isn’t all about medals for Transplant Sport Ireland as each athlete’s transplant journey has been so successful! They have each  conquered adversity and are celebrating the gift of life though sport, whilst remembering and honouring their donors and the donor  families. They powerfully demonstrate that Organ Donation works.