Kilcullen medals in Transplant Sports Championships
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| James Nolan and Robbie England. |
A member of Kilcullen Badminton Club and a Kilcullen businessman were both medal winners amongst the 65 medals won by Team Ireland at the recent European Transplant Sports Championships, writes Brian Byrne.
Robbie England from Naas won silver in his singles Badminton event, and James Nolan took gold in the Golf team event with Mick Dwyer, and a silver in the individual. Overall, the 25-strong Team Ireland's awards haul comprised 28 Gold, 21 Silver and 7 Bronze medals. The team competed in a number of disciplines including golf, swimming, cycling, tennis, darts, petanque, table tennis, badminton, tenpin bowling, and athletics.
James Nolan told the Diary that it had been an 'incredible' week for the team, in spite of competing in temperatures where it averaged well over 35 degrees every day. "We were lucky to win quite a few medals but more importantly we all competed in a respectful manner and doing our families, our donors and Ireland proud. I was well beaten in my three athletics races but I had no complaints — just beaten by faster athletes — and I had a little luck on the golf course. We had an amazing week and it really was the time of our lives." For James it was also a special week because during it he marked the 37th anniversary of receiving a transplant kidney from his sister Catherine.
Transplant Sport Ireland (TSI) is a volunteer-run organisation where transplant recipients, and dialysis patients, can connect and support one another in a common belief that sport plays a vital part in maintaining good health. TSI is also dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of Organ Donation and continuing to remember and appreciate organ donors and their families, and to strongly promote the message - Say 'YES' to Organ Donation.
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