The Irish Paralympic Team at the announcement of the Irish Paralympic Team for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games at City Hall in Dublin.
Photo by Paul Mohan/Sportsfile
The lineup for this year’s Irish Paralympic Team for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games was announced yesterday at Dublin City Hall.
Patrick O’Donovan T.D., Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, was on hand to present the team, who will compete in nine different sports at the Games in Rio from September 7th to 18th.
The team consists of 44 athletes, including defending Paralympic champions Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop, who will be defending their titles in the 100m (T13) and 1,500m (T37) respectively. Other team members are London 2012 bronze medalist, World Championship silver medalist Orla Barry and World Championship silver medalist and world record holder Noelle Lenihan and European record holder Niamh McCarthy, with this being the first time the latter two will compete in the Paralympic Games.
Irish Paralympic Team swimmer Ellen Keane.
Photo by Paul Mohan/Sportsfile
21-year-old swimmer Ellen Keane will be competing in her third Paralympic Games, while James Scully will compete in his second. Meanwhile, a first for Ireland in this year’s Games will be canoeing, with hopes of Irish athletes representing in the para-triathlon.
Minister of State O’Donovan commended the team and wished them luck in the Games:
“I would like to congratulate all of the athletes on their selection for the 2016 Paralympic Games. It is a tremendous honour for each of the 44 athletes who have been selected to represent Ireland at the Rio Games and they can all be very proud of that achievement.
“I have no doubt that they will be wonderful ambassadors for Ireland and for their respective sports. I would like to wish all of the athletes well in their final preparations for Rio.”
Irish Paralympic Team athlete Niamh McCarthy from Carrigaline, Co Cork.
Photo by Paul Mohan/Sportsfile
The full list of team members by category is as follows:
ATHLETICS: Orla Barry (Cork), Orla Comerford (Dublin), Paul Keogan (Co. Meath), Noelle Lenihan (Co. Cork), Niamh McCarthy (Co. Cork), Michael McKillop (Co. Antrim), Patrick Monahan (Co. Kildare), Deirdre Mongan (Co. Galway) Jason Smyth (Co. Derry), Greta Streimikyte (Co. Dublin).
CANOEING: Pat O’Leary (Co. Cork)
CYCLING: Eoghan Clifford (Co. Galway), Katie-George Dunlevy (Crawley, UK) and pilot Eve McCrystal (Co. Louth), Colin Lynch (Macclesfield, UK), Declan Slevin (Co. Westmeath), Ciara Staunton (Co. Wicklow), Damien Vereker (Co. Kilkenny now based in Waterford) and pilot Seán Hahessy (Co. Tipperary)
EQUESTRIAN: Helen Kearney (Co. Wicklow)
FOOTBALL: Luke Evans – captain (Co. Dublin), Tom Badun (Co. Louth), Cormac Birt (Co Antrim), Joe Markey (Co. Monaghan), Brian McGillivary (Co. Dublin), Carl McKee (Co. Dublin), Gary Messett (Co. Wicklow), Ryan Nolan (Co. Wicklow), Eric O’Flaherty (Co. Galway), Dillon Sheridan (Co. Dublin), Aaron Tier (Co. Limerick), Conor Tuite (Co. Louth), Jordan Walker (Co. Antrim), Ryan Walker (Co. Armagh).
SAILING: John Twomey (Co. Cork), Austin O’Carroll (Co. Dublin), Ian Costelloe (Co. Kerry)
SHOOTING: Seán Baldwin (Co. Kildare), Phillip Eaglesham (Co. Tyrone)
SWIMMING: Ellen Keane (Co. Dublin), Ailbhe Kelly (Co. Dublin), James Scully (Co. Meath), Nicole Turner (Co. Laois)
TABLE TENNIS: Rena McCarron Rooney (Co. Donegal)
By Kevin Carney
