Three Limerick athletes to represent Ireland at European Transplant Sports Championships

THREE Limerick athletes will represent Ireland at the European Transplant Sports Championships in Lisbon from Sunday July 21 to July 28. 

Trevor Lynch originally from Limerick but now lives with his wife, Sue, and children, Aishling and Kieran, in the UK, Rob Merrigan from Clarina, Limerick, now living in Watergrasshill and Ronan Coughlan from Limerick but living in Newport Co Tipperary will represent Ireland at the European Transplant Sports Championships.

Trevor Lynch, who works with the Football Assocaition in the UK, was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2011 and had
years of chemo which were useful in getting the disease into remission, but it kept coming back and the quality of his
life was getting worse each time, leaving him with no energy, very poor sleep, daily migraines.

His only option was to find a donor with a good stem cell match. Trevor was lucky because out of 25 million people worldwide signed up to the donor register, they found 2 matches.

Rob Merrigan, Head of Strategic Contracts with Scandinavian Airlines, never realised he was ill or had kidney problems
but his best friend’s mother spotted something one day and insisted he went to a doctor. Rob found out that evening he
had kidney failure and started dialysis the following day. Four years later, and he received a living donor kidney from a
friend, Derek Brennan,  who was in his rugby team.

Ronan Coughlan has had two previous kidney transplants and is currently on Dialysis in Limerick. This year marks his
16th year (combined) of Dialysis treatment and he is now on the waiting list for a third kidney transplant. His Mum
Deirdre was his donor in 2014.

There are 27 Irish athletes competing in Lisbon, led by Team Manager Harry Ward from Baldoyle, along with a number
of supporters. Athletes will take part in a variety of Sports including Athletics, Badminton, 10 Pin Bowling, Cycling, Darts,
Golf, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, and Petanque. The Irish Transplant Team holds an excellent record in sporting
success, competing at the World, European and British Sports Championships with many Irish athletes holding the
World and European records in their sporting disciplines.