CORK ATHLETES CHALLENGE AT BRITISH TRANSPLANT GAMES

Five Cork athletes will participate in the British Transplant Games to beheld in Coventry, UK at the end of July.   Along with fellow athletes from Transplant Sport Ireland, they will take part in the 4 day sports competition amongst Heart, Lung, Liver, Kidney, Pancreas & Bone Marrow transplant recipients and kidney dialysis patients from all over the UK, Northern Ireland, and even Australia!   Live donors also compete at these Games and Team Ireland is delighted to have three living donors compete in Coventry. Transplant Sport Ireland has 26 transplanted adults, 5 transplanted underage athletes, and 3 living donors competing from Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Louth,

Mayo,Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.

Heart recipient Mick O Shea (Mallow) was struck down with a viral infection in 2017 which resulted in his heart not functioning correctly. His heart efficiency was less than 10%, this was unexpected as he had never been sick in his life prior to this. Unfortunately, the medication didn’t help with his heart’s recovery and later that year after spending months in hospital, Mick received the greatest gift from a stranger and their family – a heart transplant. Mick says: In 2019 I participated in the World Games in Newcastle; this was my first experience of the games, and I was hooked. To see other transplant recipients competing at such a high level, gave me confidence that with hard work, then almost anything is achievable post-transplant (in life and not just sport).

Mick will take part in the Darts, 100m, 200m and 100m Relay events as well as the football, playing in the first ever Transplant Sport Ireland Soccer team to compete at these Games.  Mick states: To win a medal would be extra special, but not the main goal, the main goal is to perform to the best of my ability and in doing so honour my donor, their family and my own family and friends, while all the time raising awareness of organ donation.

Owen Crudge, from Clonakilty in West Cork, received a kidney transplant in September 2021 and hasn’t looked back since: I was on the transplant list for 4 tough years. I played rugby and generally kept fit when I was younger so I was longing a team sport and once I was back on my feet and I found that and a lot more in transplant football.  Not only is it a team but it’s very much a support, which you don’t otherwise have, of people that have shared very similar situations that others can’t relate to. He too is looking forward to being part of the first ever Transplant Sport Ireland Soccer team to compete at these Games.   Although it is Owen’s first Championship Games with Team Ireland, he has played for Ireland in the recent Soccer tournaments – winning Silver in Solihull Birmingham in the UK Soccer Tournament and enjoying the team’s back to back success against Team Northern Ireland. Owen says: I am insanely grateful to my donor and the medical team that have helped me from start to finish for restoring my life to a normal happy positive healthy state. Organ donation is nothing short of a miracle and this platform helps promote its importance and the results of it. Surrounding myself with these lads is a reminder of that and a privilege.

Mike Keohane, from Rosscarbery in West Cork, received a Liver transplant in December 2007, having been ill for many years from a congenital auto-immune condition. A lifelong sports enthusiast, Mike has played football for his local Club Carbery Rangers, his school and the Carbery Teams. He coaches Football and Basketball at Mt St Michael Secondary School Rosscarbery and also competed in soccer, basketball, darts, badminton, archery and rowing but his sports in Coventry this year are 5K Race-walk, Shot put, Discus & Javelin. He joined Team Ireland in 2010 for the European Games: and says that being part of Team Ireland has been a life-enhancing experience – the sense of family and goodwill in the team is inspirational and he has made lifelong friends. This will be his 9th time competing at the British Transplant Championships and he has also competed in 3 World Games and 6 European Games and says: All of what we do at these sporting events is to honour our donor and their families, who have given us the precious gift of life. When you see the athletes competing, it showcases the power of Organ Donation!  .

Patrick O’ Driscoll, from Ahiohill, West Cork, had a Liver Transplant in 2016 and recently joined the first ever Irish Transplant Soccer team. Following their successful silver medal pacing in the Football Championships at Solihull, Birmingham,  the team will now line up for the first time at the British Transplant Games in Coventry. Patrick enjoys what he describes as a family feeling about Transplant Sport and is looking forward to making new friends who have undergone similar journeys to his own.   Patrick says: it’s not all about winning at these Games. It is about honouring your donor, promoting Organ donation and being part of a wider Transplant family. He is looking forward to wearing the Irish jersey and playing with his teammates once again. Having scored two impressive goals in the Solihull tournament, Patrick has shown he is one to watch.

Charlie Ryan, who lives in scenic Cobh in Cork, received a Liver transplant in 2007, and joined team Ireland in 2008 going to his first Games in Germany. He has since attended the Games all over the world and enjoys the camaraderie and fun. But like all those in Team Ireland, Charlie honours his donor at each and every Games.  Charlie is known as King of the Darts having won the European and World medal in darts for many years. He also plays and has medalled in Petanque and 10 Pin Bowling.  In Coventry, Charlie will take part in the Darts, 10 pin bowling and lawn boules.

Charlie says “The Transplant Games keep me active and motivated. I enjoy being part of the extended family that is Transplant Team Ireland and I have made lots of friends whom I have met from around the world. I wouldn’t be here today were it not for my donor and their family and taking part in Transplant Sport is my way of honouring and expressing my gratitude to them.”

Liam Patterson from Ballincarriga has recently joined the Soccer Team Ireland and also received a liver transplant within the last 12 months. Though not competing in Coventry, he is looking forward to wearing the Irish jersey at the Soccer World Cup to be held in Italy next year.

Transplant Sport actively promotes the importance of more people telling their family and friends they wish to donate, so that families do not refuse to give consent because of a lack of knowledge. It demonstrates powerfully that organ donation works and each athlete is deeply grateful for the gift of life – none more so than Team Ireland. The stories of these Cork athletes are inspirational – of facing adversity head on and valuing the most precious gift of all – life. Team Ireland’s showcases the success of organ donation and transplantation whilst offering inspiration to those who are newly transplanted or newly diagnosed with organ failure. To keep up to date on Ireland’s progress, visit transplantsportireland.ie and their corresponding social media platforms. The Team have one simple request to everyone – to please consider carrying an Organ Donor Card and Have the conversation – Say YES to Organ Donation

FULL TEAM:

Cavan: Ciaran Tiernan, 

CORK: Owen Crudge, Mike Keohane, Patrick O’Driscoll, Michael O’Shea, Charlie Ryan,

DUBLIN: Riyadh Abdelakder, Jayson Flynn, Peter Heffernan, Sam & Ivan Kinahan, Laura McDowell, John Moran, Darragh Stapleton, Harry Ward

GALWAY: Paddy & Sadhbh Browne

KERRY: Alan Gleeson, Patrick O Connor

LIMERICK: Trevor Lynch & Tara Madigan

LOUTH: John Brennan & Andrew Gallagher

MAYO: Billy O Toole

TIPPERARY: Sheila Gregan, Paul Hackett, James Harney, Paschal Kavanagh

WESTMEATH: John Connell

WEXFORD: Lar Brennan  & Paul Browne

Wicklow: Clidhna Costello & Tadhg McElroy