Press Release
August 2012
Transplant Team Ireland got off to a great start at the 7th European Transplant & Dialysis Games today when 6 athletes of its 26 strong team won their right to step up to the medals podium.
Transplant Team Ireland has amassed a total of 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals on the first day of the Games which are being held in Zagreb, Croatia.
Under the searing heat of over 35 degrees, the first medal of the day secured by Team Ireland was by Roscommon woman, Monica Finn who took silver in the Ladies 50-59 year old category Cycling trials, being pipped to first position by an Italian woman. Monica, from Athlone Road and a kidney transplant recipient, was delighted with her win after suffering a fracture to her wrist just over a month ago.
The Irish proved successful in the Darts events winning 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze.
Overjoyed to win a gold medal for Darts at his first ever European Games was 38 years old Niall McAuliffe from Abbeyleix, Co Laois who came first in the 30-39 year old Dialysis category.
The Irish Team took 1st and 2nd position in the 60-69 year old Transplant category. Liver transplant man Charlie Ryan, from Cobh took Gold and his teammate John Loftus, a kidney transplant recipient from Clarina, Limerick won Silver.
Continuing the success of his teammates in Darts events Mike Keohane, a liver transplant recipient from Roscarbery, Cork, won a bronze medal in the 30-39 year transplant category. Later this morning, Letterkenny man, Noel McGeever, secured a bronze in the 40-49 year old age category. Noel is a kidney transplant recipient.
Members of Transplant Team Ireland are as follows:-
Antrim: John McAleer, Newtownabbey.
Cork: Mike Keohane, Roscarbery; Charlie Ryan, Cobh; Catherine Murphy, Aghabullogue; and Anne Lankester, Roscarbery
Clare: Eoghan O’Neill, Newmarket-on-Fergus (now living in Limerick)
Donegal: Noel McGeever, Letterkenny
Galway: Maura O’Sullivan, Kilcolgan; and Linda Waters, Athenry.
Kildare: James Nolan, The Curragh.
Laois: Alison Honner, Portlaoise; Niall McAuliffe, Abbeyleix; and Robbie Lyons (youngest team member), the Swan, via Athy.
Limerick: John Loftus, Clarina.
Offaly: Declan Guing, Edenderry
Roscommon: Monica Finn, Roscommon town.
and Shane Lafferty, Monksland, Athlone.
Sligo: Bridie Nicholson, Sligo town and Megan Fahy from Toonaphubble.
Tipperary: Sheila Gregan, Nenagh.
Dublin: Leonard Ryan, Tallaght, D.24; James Reynolds, Tallaght, D.24,
Paul Prendergast, Santry Avenue, D.9; Owen Kelleher, Lucan; Peter Heffernan, Skerries and Team Captain, Harry Ward, Baldoyle, D.13;
Team Medical Director Yvonne Ryan
Team Physiotherapist Clare Hogan
Team Manager Colin White
For an organ donor card Freetext the word DONOR to 50050 or visit website www.ika.ie It is now possible to download an organ donor card on smartphones by searching for ‘Organ Donor ECard’ at the iphone store or android market place.
The team will arrive home from the European Games at approximately 11.20pm on Saturday night, 25th August into Terminal Two at Dublin airport on an Aer Lingus flight from Budapest (EI0679)
