O’Neill represents Ireland at transplant games

Clare Transplant athlete Eoghan O’Neill from Granahan, Newmarket-on-Fergus attended a motivational talk at ALSAA sports Complex, Dublin on Sunday.

Eoghan will be among a 26-strong team to represent Ireland at the European Transplant and Dialysis Games in Zagreb, Croatia from August 18 to 25.
Renowned transplant surgeon and All-Ireland football title winner with Dublin in the 1970s, Dr David Hickey paid tribute to the 26 brave athletes who will represent Ireland at the seventh European Transplant and Dialysis Games.
Dr Hickey gave a special motivational speech to the Irish team when they gathered at ALSAA Sports Complex, on Sunday. His audience included some grateful athletes whose life-saving transplant operations were successfully performed by him.
“I had a kidney transplant eight years ago after experiencing kidney failure. Taking part in sport was something I always wanted but I wasn’t well enough to do that until two years ago,” Eoghan told The Clare Champion this week. He was speaking from the Galway races where he was helping his father, Mike, a bookmaker. This will be his first time to take part in the European Games
“I have been travelling to Dublin to practice with the other competitors. We train once a month and I am really looking forward to the games,” he added.
Eoghan will compete in a number of events including the 400m freestyle, 20-mile cycle, 5k run and golf competition.
The European Transplant and Dialysis Games will involve more than 300 athletes from 28 countries throughout Europe. Every athlete at the games will either have already received a kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas or bone marrow transplant or is on dialysis.
The Irish team comprises 17 men and nine women ranging in age from 18 to 74.
In his speech to the team, Dr Hickey said, “the goal of successful organ transplantation is not only to save lives but also to enable the complete physical, social, mental and spiritual rehabilitation of people with organ failure.”
“The success of this aspiration is gloriously seen in this group of heroic warriors who will represent themselves, their donors and Ireland at the Transplant Games and Dialysis Games this August.”
Dr Hickey is director of transplantation at Beaumont Hospital and a consultant urologist. He has carried out over 1,500 kidney transplants. He won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Irish Healthcare Awards 2011.
Speaking about the forthcoming European games, Colin White, team manager said, “I am excited about this year’s games in Zagreb. The Irish team has a great reputation for fair play and strong competitiveness at international events. Our team of 26 competitors, including six newcomers, has prepared well and we are looking forward to joining our friends from across Europe in celebrating life through sport. The message from these Games is clear – Organ Donation Works. I encourage the public to think about it, talk about it and make a commitment to organ donation.”
Team captain Harry Ward from Baldoyle, Dublin has represented Ireland at numerous international games events, both as a dialysis patient and in more recent years as a transplant recipient thanks to his kidney transplant that he received in 2007. Also travelling with the team will be team medical director, Dr Yvonne Ryan, and team physiotherapist, Clare Hogan.
Athletes will compete in badminton, tennis, cycling, darts, golf, petanque, swimming, table tennis, ten-pin bowling, volleyball, mini-marathon and track and field events.