Swans prevail in Irish Aussie Rules Grand Final Thriller

The South Dublin Swans have won the 2015 Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) Grand Final after a nail biting final against last year’s champions the Belfast Redbacks on Saturday last in Belfast.  With less than a minute remaining in the final quarter the Redbacks had one last chance to retain their crown but a close in mark from a tight angle by Redbacks’ Australian full forward Andrew Hickey yielded just a behind rather than the goal required.  If they had goaled  it would have been tough on the Swans who led for the majority of the game.  The Belfast Redbacks had been the dominant Irish team throughout most of the season, but on the day that mattered most it was the Swans that triumphed.

The Redbacks started the game the better and had a one goal advantage at the end of the first quarter.  By half-time the Swans had recovered and went into the main break with a 11 point lead, 3 7 25 to 2 2 14.   The Redbacks knew they had a challenge on their hands and came back hard in the second half, but the stoic Swans held out for a thrilling two point victory, winning 6 9 45 to 6 7 43.

Swans 200cm ruckman Paul O’Halloran set the platform for victory winning the majority of hit outs and he was well supported in midfield by Cork man Michael Hurley who ran tirelessly throughout the game and at full back by James O’Byrne.  The Redbacks never stopped trying with Irish International David McElhone and Kyle Devine there most impressive players on the day.  Devine who previously played in Australia scored two goals and was awarded best on ground.

For the Swans it is their fifth premiership (also 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013) and the result makes up for last year’s defeat at the hands of the Redbacks, also by just two points at the semi-final stage. The two teams have split the premierships between them since 2010 with the Redbacks taking the titles in 2012 (their maiden premiership) and 2014. For the Swans, the result makes them the most successful Irish club in terms of premierships. Their fifth flag sees them go past the Leeside Lions and Dublin Demons who have four each.

Irish Sports Law Conference 2015

Date: Thursday 15th October Venue: Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

There has been growing and significant concern regarding the occurrence,
diagnosis, management and litigation implications surrounding concussion and
other injuries in Irish sport. From boxing to rugby, soccer to horse riding, hurling
and more, the instance of injuries are rising with increased sporting
participation. Some tragic instances stemming from concussion related
incidents have been highlighted in the national media. Overseas, sustained
injuries and degenerative illnesses such as dementia as a result of concussion
are growing and some estimates now put the global level of concussion related
incidents in excess of 17 million people. What is coming to light is even mild
injuries can cause the most dangerous long term effects when it comes to
concussion. What is also coming to light is the significant and growing trend of
global litigation cases taken against teams, governing bodies and even
coaches, particularly when the current thinking centres around the belief that it
is not acceptable for coaches, medics, administrators or even players, to take
part in sport without significant training on concussion management.
In light of the growing concern surrounding the issue of concussion and
other significant sporting injuries, the obvious potential damage to players, and
the growing global litigation threat. CMG Events, Irelands leading proprietary
conference organisers, are hosting a one day conference to explore the current
thinking and likely recommendations from the sports and governing bodies
arena, the medical profession and the legal sector. This unique event will
examine the medical developments and recommendations on best practice for
management of significant sports injuries, the practicalities in sports concussion
management and look closely at the legal perspective and ask, as the threat of
litigation rises globally, what are the legal trends and recent legal precedents
here in Ireland?
This is a must attend event for any professionals directly or indirectly
involved in sports in Ireland or the legal system surrounding it who need to
know the legal landscape of sport in 2015 & beyond.

Conference Programme

8.15 Registration with tea, coffee and pastries
8.50 Opening Remarks by Conference Chairperson
Cliff Beirne, Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon, Sports
Surgery Clinic
9.00 Understanding concussion
Speaker: Dr Elaine Kelly, Clinical Psychologist,
Headway
 What is concussion? – Velocity and impact/ The G-force of
the hit
 The Neuropsychological Viewpoint
 Long term implications of concussion – connections with
dementia and degenerative illnesses
 Post-concussion syndrome
9.40 Sport and concussion management
Speaker: Prof. John Ryan, Consultant in Emergency
Medicine, St Vincent’s University Hospital & team
doctor with Leinster Rugby
 Are we in a crisis?
 What has changed in last 20 years?
 How do you guide the coaches?
 What are the current guidelines to concussion management?
 The governing sports bodies role in concussion
management / boxing / horse riding / rugby / hurling /
soccer
10.20 Contact Sports, Concussion and the Law – A
Coming Crisis?
Speaker: Tim O’Connor BL, Barrister, Law Library
 Concussion – What it is, the risks posed.
 Concussion management – History, Zurich Consensus,
 Player Welfare – Duties of coaches, management, officials,
governing bodies
 Potential liability issues – underage sport, officials amateur v.
professional sport
 Legacy issues
 What should sports bodies be doing?
11.00 Coffee break and chance to network
11.30 The players perspective – ‘don’t take me off’
Speaker: Dr Michael Molloy, Rheumatologist, Cork
University College
 Making the right call
 The wellbeing of the player
 Can the ref call it?
 Who will the likely legal issues rest with? Are coaches,
referees indemnified adequately?
12.10 Concussion: Case studies, research and future
directions
Speaker: Dr Ciaran Cosgrave, Consultant in Sports and
Exercise Medicine, Sports Medicine Department, Sports
Surgery Clinic
 Challenges concussion presents in elite sport
Is ‘concussion’ too broad a diagnosis?
 Current concussion research
 Future directions for concussion management and research
12.50 Q+A Session
1.00 Lunch and chance to network
2.00 The Challenges of Doping and Betting
Speaker: Gary Rice, Partner, DAC Beachcroft
 Anti-doping – world anti-doping code – Irish anti-doping rules
 Intelligence gathering and investigation-led anti-doping
 Athlete biological passports
 Legal developments in anti-doping
 Betting in sport, match fixing and spot fixing
 Legislative and EU developments in sports betting
 Sports integrity rules
2.45 Disciplinary Procedures and Appeal Processes
Speaker: Professor Jack Anderson, Editor,
International Sports Law Journal, School of Law,
Queen’s University
 Principles & structure of disciplinary systems
 Rules /Regulations – need to be simple, clear
 Natural justice and fair procedures
 The appeals/ committee / hearing / process
 Appeals procedures
 Court proceedings / applications
 JSI – Just Sport Ireland
 CAS – TAS : Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne
 Costs – resources
3.30 ADR/Sports Arbitration; General Perspectives
Speaker: Larry Fenelon, Managing Partner,
Leman Solicitors
 Introduction: challenging decisions of sports bodies in the Irish
courts
 Development of in-house ADR in Irish sport e.g. Just Sport
Ireland
 Development of ADR in international sport e.g., Court of
Arbitration for Sport
 Sporting justice in action: an arbitrator’s perspective
4.00 Q+A Session
4.10 Closing Remarks 4.15 Conference Close

Speakers Biographies

Gary Rice, Partner, DAC Beachcroft
Gary is an experienced public, regulatory and commercial
law solicitor who provides legal, strategic and
consultancy services to clients in the public, sport and
health sectors. He qualified in 1986 and joined DAC
Beachcroft in 2014 from another large Irish law firm
where he had been a partner and had served as
chairman. DAC Beachcroft is a leading international legal business with
more than 2,200 people and coverage across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin
America and North America. Gary represents numerous sports
organisations on legal issues including sponsorship agreements,
merchandising, endorsement, broadcasting, safety health and
environmental matters, competition law issues, brand protection and
exploitation, anti-doping and integrity regulations and prosecutions and
disciplinary proceedings.

Professor Jack Anderson, Editor,
International Sports Law Journal, School of
Law, Queen’s Universit
Jack Anderson is a Professor of Law at Queen’s
University, Belfast. Jack has published widely on the
topics of sports law and including monographs such as
The Legality of Boxing (2007) and Modern Sports Law
(2010) and an edited collection Landmark Cases in Sports Law (2013). He
is currently Editor-in-Chief of theInternational Sports Law Journal the leading
periodical in the area. Jack has lectured internationally on the topic of
sports law and including at the US National Sports Law Institute; the
Australian National University; University of Cambridge; German Sports
University; and the China University of Political Science and Law. He has
also delivered workshops relating to sports law for Interpol, FIFA and the
World Rugby Board.

Cliff Beirne, Consultant Maxillofacial
Surgeon, Sports Surgery Clinic
Cliff has had a lifetime experience in sport both as a
participant and professionally. He graduated from Trinity
College,Dublin in 1982. He has published extensively and
presented widely at many International meetings. Cliff has
a keen interest in Player Welfare having launched the
compulsory use of helmets and faceguards in Hurling in 2009. He spoke to
the GAA Congress in 2012 proposing a motion for the compulsory
implementation of the use of mouthguards in Gaelic Football. At the recent
Oireachtas enquiry into Concussion in Sport he provided a written
submission.
He has served on the Medical Scientific and Welfare Committee of the
GAA and was Honorary Maxillofacial Surgeon to the IRFU for fourteen
years.

Dr Ciaran Cosgrave, Consultant in Sports
and Exercise Medicine, Sports Medicine
Department, Sports Surgery Clinic
Dr Cosgrave joined the Sports Medicine Department of
Sports Surgery Clinic in 2013 having trained as a
consultant in Sports & Exercise Medicine in Liverpool. He
is also the lead doctor at Leinster Rugby. He has a
wealth of experience in elite sport having worked for two seasons at
Liverpool Football Club from 2011-2013. He also provided medical cover
at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and subsequently
accompanied Team GB at their High Altitude Training Camp in Iten, Kenya.
Other experience in elite sport includes basketball, Northern Ireland
Football, athletics, karate and judo. In each of these sports he not only
provides high quality sports medicine but also works closely with athletes
and coaches on performance enhancement.

Larry Fenelon, Managing Partner,
Leman Solicitors
Larry is the managing partner in Leman Solicitors and is
head of the sports law team. He is an experienced
mediator, arbitrator and litigator in sports disputes. Having
specialised in sports law for the last decade he
represents the largest and smallest governing bodies. He
advises on corporate structuring, governance and disciplinary matters to
national governing bodies.

Prof. John Ryan, Consultant in Emergency
Medicine, St Vincent’s University Hospital &
team doctor with Leinster Rugby
Professor John Ryan is a consultant in Emergency Medicine
and Associate Clinical Professor in Emergency Medicine at
St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin. He trained in
Ireland, the UK and Australia and was formerly a consultant
and senior lecturer in Emergency Medicine He is currently Vice Dean
responsible for Advanced Specialty Training in Emergency Medicine in Ireland.
He is a board member of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine in Ireland
and has a particular interest in Sports Injuries. He runs a Concussion Clinic at
St Vincent’s University Hospital and is active in Research in this area. He works
closely with the IRFU SAFE-rugby programme instructing on its courses. When
not working at St Vincent’s he works with Leinster Rugby as team doctor and
he is also team doctor to the Irish Schools rugby team.

Dr. Elaine Kelly, Clinical Psychologist, Headway
Elaine Kelly works in Headway as a Clinical Psychologist since 2013.
Headway is a specialist service for people with Acquired Brain Injury.
Elaine’s professional qualifications are as follows:
 Undergraduate Psychology Degree- National University of Ireland,
Maynooth
 Postgraduate Masters in Clinical Psychology- Bangor University,
Wales
 Doctorate of Clinical Psychology- Trinity College Dublin
 Clinical Neuropsychology MSc (Med Sci)- University of Glasgow
(currently doing this)

Michael Molloy, Rheumatologist, Cork University College
Professor Molloy Qualified in University College Galway (NUIG).
He did all of his post-graduate training in London, in a number of hospitals,
including the Hammersmith Hospital, Guys Hospital, Lewisham Hospital,
Kings College Hospital and the Royal London Hospital.
He returned to Ireland to take up a post as Consultant Physician
Rheumatologist, at Cork University Hospital and UCC.
On his return to Ireland, he was appointed Medical Officer, to the Irish
Rugby Football Union and remained in that post for 25 years.
He then became Chief Medical Officer to the International Rugby Board
from 2006 to 2011.He set up a Masters in Sport and Exercise Medicine in
UCC in 1994 and over 140 graduates have completed the Masters
Programme.
Research interests include the genetics of Rheumatoid Arthritis and
Osteoporosis and the use of biologic drugs in inflammatory joint disease

Who Should Attend?

This Conference will be of interest or benefit to anyone involved with sports in Ireland. It is of particular relevance to sports governing bodies, legal professionals such as barristers, Solicitors or arbitrators and mediators, and also to club managers and sports people themselves.

Easy ways to book:

http://www.cmgevents.ie/events/national-sports-law-conference-2015#bookings

EMAIL sarah@cmgevents.ie
ONLINE www.cmgevents.ie
ENQUIRIES 01 293 4764
Interested in speaking at one of
our events or tutoring one of our
workshops?
Contact Debbie Hogan,
debbie@commercialmediagroup.ie
Speakers/Tutors
For bookings at this event
Contact Sarah Flynn,
sarah@cmgevents.ie
Bookings
For payment or account queries
Contact Elaine Corry
elaine@cmgevents.ie
Accounts Queries

Team Ireland makes history at the European Championships in Wales with a haul of 18 medals

Ireland’s top Lifeguards have won 18 medals in Wales competing against Europe’s finest athletes at the European Lifesaving Championships http://www.lifesaving2015.co.uk Ireland have never won so many medals at and International event before.
Medal Winners were:
Bernard Cahill from Clare won Gold in the Surf Swim at 500m ;
Denise Bolger from Wexford & Emer Kelly from Wicklow won Gold in the Line Throw
Dave Butler from Dublin and Cameron Steele from Wexford won Gold in the Line Throw
Denise Bolger from Wexford won Gold in the 90 metre Sprint
Roisin Cahill & Lily Barrett from Clare won Silver in the women’s Board Rescue race
Bernard Cahill won Silver in Surf Board Race at 500m and Silver in the Ironman competition which is a combination of a 2000 Metre Swim, Board, ski and run race.
Dave Butler from Dublin, Joe Mooney from Sligo, Bernard Cahill from Clare and James Hassey Waterford won Bronze in the Simulated Emergency Response Competition(SERC)
Denise Bolger from Wexford, Emer Kelly from Wicklow, Emma O’Brien from Wicklow and Brodie Edmead from Cork won Bronze in the Sprint Relay.
Ireland was 5th overall in the Beach Competitions and 9th in the combined pool and beach events. The teams broke 27 Irish Records which was a phenomenal success and a plethora of personal best performances.
If you wish to speak with any of the competitors/coaches/team managers, please contact: John Leech johnleech@iws.ie 087 6789600
For further information and photographs
https://www.facebook.com/SurfLifesavingIreland?fref=ts
Irish Water Safety, The Long Walk, Galway
LoCall 1890-420.202; Tel 091-56.44.00; Fax 091-56.47.00;
John Leech: 087-6789600,
www.iws.ie; info@iws.ie
MEDIA NOTES:
Ireland already has an excellent reputation as a competitor on the international stage in lifesaving events with several international awards and this will be further enhanced by our strongest ever team now competing in Australia.
Lifesaving has never been stronger in Ireland, especially at the grass roots level. We have thousands of kids, teenagers and adults with a particularly growing sector of 8-14 year old nippers who come through participating in Irish Water Safety Lifesaving classes and competitions. The drop off rate during adolescence is a lot less than in other sports.
The sport of lifesaving is unique as it injects a lifesaving skill back into a community and the training is all volunteer based making it a special activity that people want to be involved in and get so much enjoyment from. Having an Irish team at an event like Rescue 2012 in Australia, and with some exciting competitions between all the top nations, can only improve the standard of international lifesaving competition, increase the numbers of young people who will be attracted to the movement, and contribute to an improvement in aquatic safety in Ireland and around the world. It also improves standards within the lifeguarding community.
The sport of Lifesaving:
 Life Saving Sport is recognised as an Olympic Category two Sport and it is recognised by the International Olympic Committee and the World Sports federation.
 The sport is controlled by International Lifesaving (ILS) Sport and this organisation is recognised by IOC as the controlling body for the sport worldwide. There are over one hundred countries registered as members of ILS.
 Within Europe the sport is controlled by International Lifesaving Sport Europe, a subsidiary body of ILS.
 Irish Water Safety is and has always been recognised by both bodies as the National Governing Body for the sport in Ireland.
 Irish Water Safety has organised the sport in Ireland since 1946. His Excellency President Sean T. O’Ceallaigh presented the President’s Award to IWS in 1950 for competition between the counties of Ireland and it is competed for every year since then.
 ILS ,ILSE and IWS all subscribe to WADA.
 The sport holds European and World Championships in addition to National Championships ,
 The sport is controlled within IWS by a ”SPORTS COMMISSION”. Participation in competitions has been part funded by IWS and the Irish Sports Council.
 Life Saving Sport is quite distinct in that the disciplines in which people compete are directly related to elements of lifeguarding.

Camogie Association announce ChildFund as their chosen charity partner

Camogie Association announce ChildFund as their chosen charity partner

Camogie stars get on their bike for ChildFund

The Camogie Association is pleased to announce ChildFund Ireland as their chosen charity partner. ChildFund Ireland is an independent not-for-profit organisation working with children, families and communities in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

The Camogie Association and ChildFund Ireland, which is part of the International ChildFund Alliance, working in 56 countries supporting 15 million people worldwide, will work on a number of key initiatives focussing initially on the Dream Bikes project.

Dream Bikes will involve individuals and Camogie clubs nationwide, raising funds to support the cost of purchasing bikes for schoolchildren in the countries in which ChildFund work. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks; with Camogie clubs encouraged to support the project.

Inter-county Camogie stars, Mags D’Arcy (Wexford and ChildFund Ireland Ambassador), Aoife Murray (Cork), Down Camogie player Fionnuala Carr and Sarah Dervan of Galway joined with CEO of ChildFund Ireland Mick Kiely to announce the charity partnership.

Speaking about the charity announcement President of the Camogie Association, Catherine Neary said:

“I am delighted that the Camogie Association’s chosen charity partner is ChildFund.  ChildFund has a long history of working within communities with children across the world.  Both the Camogie Association and ChildFund are very much based in the community setting. The Dream Bikes initiative provides us with the opportunity to support less advantaged children living in communities to attend school thereby making a major contribution to their education and a brighter future. This project will highlight what can be achieved when we work together.”

 

 

Speaking about the partnership Mick Kiely, CEO of ChildFund said: 

ChildFund are grateful to Catherine Neary, President of the Camogie Association for choosing our organisation as its charity partner of choice. The Dream Bikes campaign will have an amazing positive effect on the lives of thousands of children in the developing world, all thanks to the Camogie Association and this partnership.”

“The idea of organic development through the bedrock of community is very much in line with ChildFund’s work in developing countries where we endeavour to empower children to progress in life,” added Kiely.

ENDS

For further information contact Claire Egan, Communications & Marketing Director, The Camogie Association, Tel: 01 865 8618/087 9030 755 Email: Claire@camogie.ie

ChildFund Ireland Mick Kiely, 01 6762128/086 678 6391 Email: mkiely@childfund.ie

Brian MacNeill, Communications Officer, 01 676 2128. Email: brian.macneill@childfund.ie

Notes to the editor:

Images are available FOC from Inpho Photography

ChildFund Ireland works in partnership with children and communities to create change by promoting children’s rights and supporting community development. Their unique approach focuses on working with children, regardless of race, creed or gender.

The Dream Bikes project is part of a global campaign, to raise funds to purchase bikes for children in the countries in which ChildFund works. Camogie clubs will be encouraged to raise funds to donate to ChildFund in order to purchase bikes for school going children.

ChildFund Ireland was founded and registered in 1991. It became operational five years later and in 2002 became a member of ChildFund Alliance. This is a global organisation with members in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan and the USA.

Today, ChildFund programmes promote long-term sustainable development and are designed to help break the cycle of poverty – the first of the Millennium Development Goals.

The Camogie Association is one of Ireland’s largest female sports organisations, established in 1904. The game of Camogie is played nationally and internationally and there are currently 592 Camogie clubs.

#GT5K Dublin Docklands is Back!

The Grant Thornton Corporate 5k Team Challenge returns once again to the Docklands of Dublin City on Tuesday September 1st at 7.45pm.

The flagship race in its fourth year is now firmly established as the premier event for encouraging social running amongst the business community and promises to be another great occasion.

Business advisors Grant Thornton and Athletics Ireland have worked together to create an event which has the perfect balance between seasoned runners and beginners, all running together and competing in teams of four (male, female and mixed) in a fun environment.

The #GT5k Docklands Challenge takes place in the heart of the business community in Docklands of Dublin and will round out the successful three-race series of 2015. The first two races of the series took place at the National Sports Campus and The Mall in Cork City.

Grant Thornton Corporate 5k Team Challenge 2014

Entry fee is €100 for a team of four with accurate chip timing and a t-shirt and goody bag for all participants.

The event is organised by Athletics Ireland and acts as a major fundraising for the Association’s Junior High Performance Programme which supports emerging athletes to fulfil their potential.

Participants are also encouraged to fundraise for the chosen charity, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) through mycharity.ie.

To ENTER your team now go to www.grantthorntoncorporatechallenge.ie.   ENTRY CLOSES Friday 21st of August at 5pm.