Oct 30, 2019
– Pundit Arena the latest addition to Federation’s suite of partnerships working with 107 sporting bodies across Ireland.
– Partnership will see the creation of a live-streaming fund for women in sport, supported by Sport Ireland funding.
– Visibility, in all codes and among all genders, is key to growing interest and participation in sport.
Digital sports media outlet Pundit Arena have joined forces with the Federation of Irish Sport to offer live-streaming and digital content support services to the 107 members represented by the Federation. The three-year partnership will also see the creation of a women in sport live streaming fund which has been supported by Sport Ireland’s Women in Sport Strategy.
Speaking about the partnership, Federation CEO Mary O’Connor said “We are delighted to have Pundit Arena join our suite of partnerships. Over the last 18 months they have been to the front and centre of unique projects within Irish sport including the World Para Swimming Allianz European Championships and the first-ever beach volleyball Olympic Qualifier on Irish shores. They have also just announced that they will be live streaming the full week of the World Para Athletic Championships to an Irish Audience live from Dubai. They have the potential to bring huge value to our members in the space of digital content, live-streaming and social media promotion which is key to increasing visibility and participation in all sports, across all gradients, in the long run”.
The partnership launch also marks the opening of the newly created ‘Showcase your Sportswomen live’ fund to applications from National Governing Bodies. The fund, which is supported by Sport Ireland Women in Sport funding, aims to showcase a select women’s sporting event/activity via live-streaming, digital content and social media support provided by Pundit Arena. The Federation of Irish Sport hugely values the importance visibility plays in promoting all sports, particularly women in sport and encouraging the next generation. As such, showcasing the events and activities that are often overlooked will help to grow the audience watching and in time, attending sporting events.
Commenting on the partnership, Matt Steerman, Commercial Director, said:
“Pundit Arena are delighted to officially partner with the Federation of Irish Sport, both in the creation and activation of the Women in Sport initiative that will give more visibility of a mix of women’s events in 2020, but also to help all their members with a range of coverage and content solutions that can bring to the forefront more success stories in Irish sport across all codes.
We look forward to working closely with all interested National Governing Bodies, Local Sporting Partnerships, and clubs nationwide to help raise their profiles over the course of our partnership, and drive new fans and participants along the way.”
The Federation looks forward to helping Pundit Arena build relationships with members to grow the digital footprint of Irish sport and bring brilliant content to the public in what is set to be a year of fantastic sporting activity.
Application forms for the ‘Showcase your Sportswomen live’ fund can be downloaded at www.irishsport.ie/wis-fund
For further details on any element of the partnership opportunities please contact sinead.conroy@irishsport.ie
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Oct 22, 2019
PRESS RELEASE 19th October 2019
#LiveLifeGiveLife
(PHOTOGRAPHER: Conor McCabe, tel. 085 7057255 – no repro fee)
Representatives of 22 nations converged in Dublin this weekend for the official launch of the Irish Kidney Association’s hosting of the 11th European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships, Dublin 2020 which will take place next year from 2-9 August ( www.etdsc2020.com ). The members of the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Federation gathered at the Irish Kidney Association’s Renal Support Centre at Beaumont Hospital on Saturday, 19th October for the launch which followed an inspection tour of sporting venues around Dublin. Also attending the launch of the major organ donor awareness and sporting event was Mr. Roddy Guiney, Chairman of the Federation of Irish Sport, the Deputy Mayor of Fingal County Council Cllr. Tom Kitt along with members of the Championships local organising committee and Transplant Team Ireland.
The 2020 Championships will see transplant and dialysis athletes from over 25 nations, ranging in age from 18 to over 80 years old, descend on Dublin’s northside to celebrate life through sport. The Championships offer participants an opportunity to honour their donors and play their part in looking after their own health.
At the launch Mr. Giuseppe Canu, the Chairman of the organising committee for the previous Games held in Cagliari, Italy handed over the athletics baton to Mr. Colin White, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the ETDSC 2020. Mr. White is also Secretary of the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Federation and National Projects Manager of the Irish Kidney Association (IKA).
At the launch Mr. Roddy Guiney, Chairman of the Federation of Irish Sport, said, “We are delighted that the 2020 European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships are coming to Dublin. Sport has a major role to play in making for a more inclusive society and events such as this highlight just how inclusive sport can be. While the event is obviously of major interest to all transplant recipients and people on dialysis, I believe its impact will go far beyond that, demonstrating the power and importance of sport for everyone. It will also be another platform for us to showcase our sports facilities and our ability to deliver first class international events.”
Mr. Colin White, LOC chairman, said, “We are so excited to be bringing the Championships back to Dublin which will involve over 500 participants! Since we last hosted in 2010, I have worked closely with each subsequent local organising committee on behalf of the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Federation. All of this sets us up well to deliver a memorable and impactful event. In the nine years that have followed since 2010 over 2000 people have undergone lifesaving transplants in Ireland. However, the number of people on dialysis has grown by 20% since then. The Games are an important platform to showcase to the public what can be achieved when people say YES to organ donation which is reflected in the tagline #LiveLifeGiveLife. To add to our already inspiring Irish team, some having taken part in the 2010 games and who are with us here today, we hope that the games being held on home soil will attract lots of enthusiastic newcomers to Team Ireland. Heart transplant recipient Aoife Farrell from Bray and Susan Mulligan from Castlerea, Roscommon who underwent a kidney transplant just a few months ago are also here today. We would also encourage support from volunteers, individuals and the business community to help us make this an unforgettable and hugely successful sporting and organ donor awareness event.”
Ms. Judit Berente from Hungary and President of the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Federation, said, “The Irish Kidney Association proved to be an excellent Games organiser and host in 2010. Since then, the Association has developed a lot, and many great Irish athletes have appeared in the transplant championships. I love the spirit of the Irish team, and I hope that we all will feel this spirit during the week of the coming European Transplant & Dialysis Championships.”
The Championships will allow competitors who have either received a transplant (including heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas or bone marrow) or who are undergoing dialysis treatment to compete in a broad range of sports on offer. Athletes and supporters will be staying at the games hub, Dublin City University, where many of the sports will be held, while some sports will take place in other parts of Dublin’s northside including the National Aquatic Centre, National Athletics Stadium and the Phoenix Park as well as Tallaght Community School on Dublin’s southside and Black Bush Golf Club in County Meath.
The 13 sports on offer include Athletics (various track and field), Archery, Badminton, Cycling, Darts, Golf, Petanque, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Ten Pin Bowling and Volleyball.
The nine members of the local organising committee (LOC) for ETDSC 2020 include the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) national honorary chairman Colin Mackenzie from Portmarnock, IKA Chief Executive Mark Murphy, LOC ETDSC Chairman and IKA National Projects Manager Colin White (from Balbriggan), Amanda Bissett and Robyn Black, IKA and three team members who were on the organising committee for the 2010 Games – Harry Ward (Baldoyle), Michael Dwyer (Cabinteely) and Peter Heffernan (Skerries). Also on the committee is Ron Grainger (Castleknock) who joined Team Ireland in 2014. Ron, a retired urologist and kidney transplant recipient, was selected as one of twelve international ambassadors to be part of an Astellas and World Transplant Games Federation ‘Fit for Life’ global organ donor awareness campaign. On 5th November 2016 Ron and the other ambassadors were honoured to be introduced to a packed stadium in Chicago when Ireland made sporting history beating the All Blacks at the iconic Soldier Field Stadium.
For more information on the Games, how to support it through volunteering or sponsorship, or to register visit www.etdsc2020.com or contact the Irish Kidney Association tel. 01 6205306
For organ donor cards Freetext DONOR to 50050 or visit website www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card You can also download the IKA’s digital organ donor card on your smartphone. Your wishes to be an organ donor can also be included on the new format driving licence which is indicated on the back of the card by code 115. To request an Organ Donor Card, click HERE
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For further information contact:
Colin White, LOC Chair ETDSC2020, National Projects Manager IKA, T. 01 6205306 E. colin@ika.ie
Gwen O’Donoghue. Media Relations, IKA T. 086 8241447 e. gwenodonoghue1@gmail.com
Oct 11, 2019
On behalf of the Federation on Irish Sport CEO Mary O’Connor would like to welcome the 2020 Budget for Sport and Physical Activity and to thank you all for the work that you do. Increased Government investment in Sport and Physical activity is as a result of the ‘collective’ having a shared passion and vision of providing opportunities for people in our country to enjoy sport and be physically active.
Please see below for your attention.
Federation of Irish Sport welcomes increased investment in sport in Budget 2020
- Government allocates €125m to sport, representing a €5.5 million increase on 2019
- Additional current funding to support National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in advancing the actions outlined in the National Sports Policy 2027
- High-performance sport in Ireland receives an additional €2 million allocated to support preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Reflecting on Budget 2020, Federation of Irish Sport CEO Mary O’Connor, said:
“We welcome the increase of €5.5 million in sports funding in Budget 2020. Most notably, we welcome within the overall budget an increase in the allocation of €65.6 million in current expenditure.
“In July 2018, the Government published its first ever National Sports Policy which set out a ten-year plan to enhance and develop sport and physical activity in Ireland. The National Sports Policy 2018-2027 enshrined in policy the integral role played by the National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in delivering on the Government’s vision for sport in Ireland. The increased funding for our NGBs and LSPs, as outlined in Tuesday’s 2020 Budget will have a significant impact in funding the people and programmes that allow sport to happen across the country each week.
“Sport matters. It is an essential contributor to the Exchequer, the community, social inclusivity and participation, health, and tourism. Critically, investing in sport makes sound economic sense also.
“Earlier this month, the Federation of Irish Sport, in partnership with Investec, published a research report into the economic value of sport to the Irish economy. The report stated that for every €100 invested in sport by Government, the Exchequer receives up to €195 in tax revenues on sports-supported expenditures and incomes.
“This clear economic rationale highlights how the increased State funding for sport in Budget 2020 will be of benefit to the Exchequer in the long term.
“We look forward to working with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, and their departmental colleagues in delivering upon the actions laid out in the National Sports Policy 2027 and ensuring its long-term success.”
ENDS
Oct 9, 2019
A heavy smoker from the midlands who drives long distances in their diesel-powered car and burns through a lot of fossil fuel to keep themselves warm in winter will bear the brunt of Budget 2020.
The increase in Carbon Tax will add €1.02 to the cost of 60 litres of petrol and €1.18 to the same volume of diesel, while a 900-litre home heating delivery will cost an additional €15.
A 12.5 kg bag of peat will cost 16 cent more and about 72 cent has been added to the price of a 40kg bag of coal.
Other measures which will benefit some people include an increase of €100 in the home carer tax credit to €1,600 while the self-employed tax credit goes up by €150 to €1,500. For most other people, the impact of a budget which has been “developed in the shadow of Brexit” will go almost unnoticed.
As had been widely flagged, there were no changes to the wider personal tax regime while social welfare payments were largely untouched.
Business Enterprise & Innovation measures
– €1 billion / 2% increase to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
– €10 million will be allocated to a Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund.
– EIIS scheme give full income tax relief in year of investment rather than spread as before; investment limit raised to €250k.
– An annual investment limit of €500,000 will be introduced for investors who are prepared to invest in the EIIS for > 10 years.
– R&D tax credit increased from 25% to 30% for micro and small companies.
– KEEP rules loosened (Key Employee Engagement Programme).
– SARP (Special Assignee Relief Programme) extension to 2022 for FDI companies to recruit and attract staff.
Read full report here https://www.osk.ie/site/assets/files/1738/budget_2020_osk.pdf
Oct 8, 2019
MUSCAT – Until yesterday, only 13 cricketers in the world had hit an international century in all three formats of the game. Now it is 14, with Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien adding his name to that list. O’Brien’s scintillating century against Hong Kong was also not only his first T20 International ton, but the first-ever for Ireland too.
O’Brien has had a busy year – not only has he played 30 times for Ireland across all three formats of the game, but domestically he has featured in a double-trophy winning Leinster Lightning side in the Test Triangle Inter-Provincial Series, and his club side won the Clear Currency National Cup for the first time last month.
Cap number 655 for Ireland, O’Brien first appeared in the green on 11 June 2006 in a List A match against Sussex. Now, just over 13 years later, the Dublin-born all-rounder is approaching his 350th appearance for Ireland (currently 349). Along the way he has collected a number of records, including fastest century in the Cricket World Cup (2011), first Test century for Ireland (2018) and now first T20I century for Ireland (2019).
Routinely reinventing his game, he has only this year been elevated to the opening role in T20I this year and the move has seen him flourish. In 2019, O’Brien has scored 583 runs from an incredible 353 balls in 14 innings, an average of 41.64 and a strike rate of 165.16. This is currently the fourth highest number of runs in a calendar year in T20I cricket history, and he still has potentially eight to ten more matches to play before the end of the calendar year.
Speaking from his hotel in Muscat on a rare day off of late from playing or training, O’Brien said:
“It’s obviously a very proud moment to score the first T20I century for Ireland. I’m very happy with the way it’s turning out since moving to the top of the order, and hopefully the form can continue for the next 2 to 3 weeks leading into the World Cup Qualifier.”
“The squad is progressing nicely and, despite a little setback against Oman, all-in-all we’re playing some good cricket. We’re putting up some good totals, we’re fielding very well in most games, and we’re starting to improve slowly with the ball. We’ve still got three games before the first Qualifier match in Abu Dhabi, so if we can continue this trend we’ll be in a good position. Fingers crossed we can use the next three games as good preparation and look to win all three – they’ll be three tough games so we’ll have to play well.”
Oct 8, 2019
7th October 2019: Rhys McClenaghan has qualified to the pommel-horse final at the 2019 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, the first ever world final for an Irish gymnast. McClenaghan scored a superb 15.200 on pommel yesterday during the first of the two-day qualifying rounds and goes into the finals in the hugely impressive 2nd position. In doing so his qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is looking very positive, however the official confirmation will come from the international gymnastics federation (FIG) once the apparatus final draws to a close next Sunday 13th Oct. Rhys will compete in the pommel horse final on Saturday 12th October with finals starting at 3pm.
Commenting on the achievements Ciaran Gallagher, CEO Gymnastics Ireland said:
‘Rhys has done it again! Another historic result firstly for himself and secondly for Ireland as a sporting nation. I can only congratulate Rhys, our national coach Luke Carson and Performance Manager Sally Johnson on faultless preparation for this event following his shoulder surgery in later 2018. Along with the rest of members and staff at Gymnastics Ireland We can wait to see him compete in the World Pommel Final on Saturday!’
Fellow gymnast Adam Steele scored 77.431 in the All-Around competition, ranking 76th in the world concluding competition. Earlier in the week gymnasts Emma Slevin, Meg Ryan and Kate Molloy also finished on the Women’s All-Around qualifiers Friday with the highest score of 13.400 on Vault for both Ryan and Slevin. For the Women’s Artistic gymnasts this competition was focused on gaining experience at their first senior Worlds and continuing in their long-term preparation and development targeted at the World Championships in 2022 and Paris 2024. For full results, live scores and more details of this competition visit the official World Championships website here. https://www.stuttgart2019.de/en/event/finale-geraete-1/
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Editors notes
For more information contact Caroline Ledwith caroline@gymnasticsireland.com
Photography is available FOC to sports desks
