Nenagh native Orla Hogan, newcomer Aoife Murray (Dublin), Angela Sherlock (Dublin), Tony Gartland (Carlow) and Anthony Byrne (Dublin) competed in the Bowling singles events, all performed very well. Anthony Byrne from Artane, Dublin is competing at his very first World Transplant Games, he has previously joined the team at the British Games in Liverpool and Newcastle. Anthony spoke of Team Ireland’s’ welcoming nature earlier today, “I have been embraced with open arms, the team are so friendly”. He also spoke of his donor and their family saying that they were never too far away from his mind and how thankful he is to them.

Dublin duo, Team Captain Harry Ward and Paul Prendergast competed in the Pétanque Doubles event at the Los Prados Pétanque Club today. Both thoroughly enjoyed the competition and played well despite the extreme temperatures, narrowly missing out on placing.

Marie O’Connor from Lahinch  has won a Gold in Golf today, her second medal at the World Transplant Games as she won a Bronze in the Petanque yesterday. With results still coming in for the eleven golfers who took part in the scorching sun at golf events today held at the beautiful Guadalhorce Golf Course, it has been confirmed that Transplant Team Ireland’s Garry Campbell from Greystones in Wicklow also won a Gold medal while two Bronze medals were won by John McAleer from Antrim and Kieran Murray from Ramelton, Donegal.

Transplant Team Ireland includes 4 liver and 23 kidney transplant recipients ranging in age from 30 to 79 who will compete against almost 1000 participants from more than 50 countries at what will be the largest gathering of transplant recipients this year.  The Irish Kidney Association is responsible for coordinating and managing Transplant Team Ireland’s participation at European and World Transplant Games events.

Every athlete at the World Transplant Games will have already received a kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas or bone marrow transplant.

The Irish team includes four newcomers. Although the main objective for team members is to embrace life and promote organ donation, some returning team members will also be contesting World titles. Keen to build on their medal successes at the previous World Transplant Games in Argentina in 2015, Deirdre Faul, Kieran Murray, Tony Gartland and Peter Heffernan have being training hard in anticipation of the competition in Malaga.  Between them, the much smaller team of four won 13 medals including 7 Gold, 4 Silver and 2 Bronze in Argentina.  Two years previously at the World Transplant Games in Durban, South Africa 2013, the Irish team of 24 athletes scooped 34 medals including 12 Gold, 10 Silver and 12 bronze with 50 competing countries.

Athletes compete in their respective age categories in the following events: badminton, cycling, darts, golf, petanque, squash, swimming, table tennis, ten pin bowling, tennis, mini-marathon, and track and field.

For more information on World Transplant Games and the Irish athletes visit the Irish team blogwww.transplantteamireland.ie     Visit the Games website   www.wtgmalaga2017.com/en

THE FULL IRISH PANEL IS AS FOLLOWS (and their individual ‘athlete profiles’ are on the team blog):-

ANTRIM: John McAleer, Newtownabbey (kidney) (oldest member of the team)

CORK: Mike Keohane, Clonakilty (liver); Charlie Ryan, Cobh (liver); Michael Kiely, Mitchelstown, on the Limerick border (kidney); Pat O’Sullivan, Mallow (kidney)

CARLOW: Tony (Patrick Anthony)Gartland, Hacketstown(liver), first liver transplant person in Ireland

CLARE: Marie O’Connor, Lahinch (kidney)

DONEGAL:  Kieran Murray, Ramelton (kidney)

GALWAY:  Sinead McGowan, Renmore    (living in Australia)

KERRY:  Con Brosnan, Killarney (kidney)

KILDARE: James Nolan, Kilcullen (kidney)

MEATH: Tony Gavigan, Navan, a native of Lanesborough, Longford (kidney transplant and father of deceased donor);      Rachel Eagleton, Bettystown (kidney) – youngest member of the team

MONAGHAN: Michelle Reinhardt McCabe, Smithboro (kidney)

TIPPERARY: Orla Hogan, Nenagh (kidney); Sheila Gregan, Nenagh (kidney)

WICKLOW: Garry Campbell, Greystones (kidney)

DUBLIN: Ron Grainger, Castleknock, D.15 (kidney); Harry Ward, Team Captain, Baldoyle, D.13 (kidney); Paul Prendergast, Santry, D.9 (kidney); Anthony Byrne, Artane (kidney); Angela Sherlock, Greenhills (kidney); Peter Heffernan, Skerries (kidney); Aoife Murray, Clonsilla, (liver);

Michael Dwyer, Cabinteely (kidney); Leonard Ryan, Tallaght, D 24 (kidney); and Deirdre Faul, Dalkey (liver).

Team Manager, Colin White from Balbriggan, Dublin

Team Doctor, Claire Kennedy, from Lucan and living in Clontarf, Dublin

For organ donor cards Freetext DONOR to 50050 or visit website www.ika.ie/card  You can now download the IKA’s new digital donor card by visiting www.donor.ie on your smartphone.Your wishes to be an organ donor can also be included on the new format driving licence which is represented by Code 115. 

-ENDS-

NOTE:   Transplant Team Ireland’s return flight on Ryanair is expected to land at Dublin airport Terminal One on Sunday July 2nd at 17.30 hours. An informal homecoming reception by family, friends and supporters will take place in the Arrivals Hall (Terminal One) as the team are expected to come through after collecting baggage at approx. 18 hrs. Photographer Conor McCabe will be covering this homecoming event (no repro fee) tel. 085 7057255

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Colin White, Team Manager Tel. 353 1 6205306 mob. 353 87 6843644 Email: colin@ika.ie

Gwen O’Donoghue, Media co-ordinator. Mob. 353 86 8241447 Email: gwenodonoghue1@gmail.com

Harry Ward, Team Captain mob. 353 85 2137512 Email: hwharryward@gmail.com