Two Louth players set to play for Ireland football team in Transplant Games

Two Louth athletes, John Brennan and Andrew Gallagher, will be taking part in the British Transplant Games in Coventry, England, at the end of July.

They will join fellow athletes from Transplant Sport Ireland in a four-day sporting competition between heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas and bone marrow transplant recipients and kidney dialysis patients from across the UK, Northern Ireland and even Australia.

These games also feature living donors and the Ireland team are delighted to have three living donors taking part in Coventry. Transplant Sport Ireland are taking part with 26 adult transplant athletes, five underage transplant athletes and three living donors from across the country, including Louth Cavan, Cork, Dublin and Galway.

John Brennan and Andrew Gallagher will join the Ireland football team. After their recent success in the Solihull tournament and consecutive international wins against Northern Ireland, the footballing boys will be eager to repeat this success.

“We're doing it to show the public that it's possible to stay healthy and active after a transplant, and also to pay tribute to the donors and their families,” said Brennan, who also serves as the team's manager.

“The Ireland Football Transplant Team is more than just a football team – it is a group of individuals who have overcome some extremely tough life experiences with a common goal: to live healthy, active lives and show the world the power of organ donation.”

Andrew Gallagher was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2009 after a routine gym check-up revealed high blood pressure. After two years of dialysis treatment, a donor (his mother-in-law) came forward in 2013 and saved his life with an incredible organ donation.

“I'm taking part simply because I can and because it is the best way to say thank you to my donor, my family and the medical staff at Beaumont Hospital,” exclaimed Gallagher, who was part of the successful Ireland team in Solihull.

“It's amazing to be able to represent someone you love in your life, but to do it after all the battles and hardships we've been through is just amazing. People around us have been looking on in concern, but to see us now overcome those challenges and change the course of our lives for the better is really unique.”

Transplant Sport actively promotes the importance of more people informing their family and friends of their wishes regarding organ donation, so that families do not refuse consent due to lack of knowledge.

“This tournament is a powerful demonstration that organ donation works and every player is deeply grateful for the gift of life, especially the Irish team. The Louth players' stories are inspiring, facing adversity head on and cherishing the most precious gift of all – life.”

Team Ireland is showcasing organ donation and transplant success stories as well as inspiring new transplant recipients and those newly diagnosed with organ failure. To keep up to date with Ireland's progress, visit transplantsportireland.ie and associated social media platforms.

The team has just one request for everyone ahead of the competition: please consider carrying an organ donor card and have the conversation about saying “YES” to organ donation.