Four medals for Eoghan so far

AT the time of writing, Newmarket man Eoghan O’Neill has won four medals at the seventh European Transplant and Dialysis games in Croatia.

When he spoke to The Clare Champion on Wednesday, he was delighted with his haul to date. “I’ve got four so far, a silver for a 4x50m relay in swimming, a gold for 400m freestyle, a bronze in a medley relay and a silver in golf,” he said.
The 29-year-old still has to take part in two track events, a 200m sprint and a 4x100m relay.
Eoghan says he loves all sport and receiving a kidney transplant changed his life. “I had a kidney transplant eight years ago. I was in an awful way before it, I couldn’t do any sport. I was on dialysis for two years and I had no quality of life. Once I got the transplant, everything came together for me. I could get back into sport, get back into life and feel fantastic again.”
He didn’t have kidney problems from birth but from his late teens on, his health was worsening. “Over about four years, my kidneys slowly got worse and worse and worse. Eventually I had dialysis and I was two years waiting for a kidney.
“It’s made a huge difference to my life. Before I couldn’t really eat any food because the toxins are constantly building up in your blood and you can’t get rid of them. You’re weak the whole time, you’re constantly nauseous and obviously when you get the kidney then you’re perfect again. It brings you back.”
He trained for the running and swimming events at UL, while he regularly plays golf at Dromoland.
There are 26 Irish competitors taking part in the games which are open to people who have had a heart, lung, kidney or liver transplant, or are receiving dialysis.
The Irish team ranges in age from 18 to 74 and Eoghan is competing in the 18 to 29 age category.