Moran & Bewley’s Hotel Group becomes ‘Official Hotel Partner’ for Paralympics Ireland on Friday 6th of December 2013

Our Group Marketing Manager Adrian Sherry and Patrick Haslett, Commercial Director Paralympics Ireland with Irish Paralympic athlete, Orla Barry were on hand to celebrate the naming of Moran & Bewley’s Hotel Group as ‘Official Hotel Partner’ for Paralympics Ireland, at Silver Springs Moran Hotel, Cork on Friday 6th of December.    

Our original involvement with Paralympics Ireland goes back to 2011 and we were a proud partner of the 2012 Irish Paralympic Team which delivered an impressive haul of 16 medals in London 2012.
Moran & Bewley’s played a key role in the preparations of Irish Paralympic athletes in the lead up to the Games and also hosted a number of showpiece events. With Irish Paralympic athletes now aiming for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, this support will again prove vital.
Commenting on the renewal of the partnership, Adrian Sherry, our Group Marketing Manager, said:

“We were thrilled to be involved with the incredible Irish Paralympic success at London 2012 and are delighted to help Paralympics Ireland prepare for the challenge of Rio 2016. The performances of Irish Paralympic athletes like Orla Barry are hugely inspiring and we will be supporting them every step of the way.”
Patrick Haslett, Commercial Director for Paralympics Ireland commented:

“We were very grateful for the invaluable support of Moran & Bewleys Hotels and their staff in the lead up to London 2012. As Irish Paralympic athletes target the podium at Rio 2016, we look forward to another exciting partnership.”
Orla Barry, Irish Paralympic star (Paralympic/World Discus medalist & world record holder) added:

“I’m honoured to become an ambassador for Moran & Bewleys Hotels’ involvement with Irish Paralympic sport. I’m a Cork-based athlete, so it’s especially fitting to kick off the partnership again in the Silver Springs.”

2012 Irish Paralympic Team

Moran & Bewley’s Hotels are delighted to be proud Supporters 2012 Irish Paralympic Team.

Minister of State for the Department of Transport, Sport and Tourism Mr. Michael Ring T.D. was on hand at the RDS,Dublin yesterday to announce the Irish Paralympic Team for the London2012 Paralympic Games which commence on 29^th August.

The team consisting of 49 athletes, representing 20 different counties will compete across ten sports at the London Games and represents the largest Irish Team since Atlanta 1996.  The 2012 Irish Paralympic team contains five reigning world champions in athletics and cycling and two defending Paralympic champions, athletes Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop.  For the first time ever Ireland will compete in shooting and rowing at a Paralympic Games.

Speaking at the team announcement, Minister of State Michael Ring TD, commented,

“I would like to congratulate the 49 athletes on their selection for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Very few people get the opportunity to represent their country at such a high level. It’s a tremendous honour and the athletes, their families and friends should be very proud. I have no doubt that our athletes will be great ambassadors for Ireland and for their respective sports. I would like to extend my very best wishes to the team in their preparations for the Games.”

Paralympics Ireland CEO & Chef de Mission for the Irish Team, Liam Harbison, commented, “Today’s team announcement is the culmination of a huge effort by everyone involved in Paralympic sport in Ireland.  The preparation, coordination and management of the Irish Team is a huge task, which would not have been possible without the continuing support of the Irish Sports Council, Sport NI and our sponsors and partners.  Their support has enabled us to prepare 49 athletes to compete and excel at the London2012 Paralympic Games. It’s time for us to make a return on the faith and investment placed in us by them all – we aim to deliver.”

Commenting on the Irish Paralympic Team’s performance goals at London2012, Paralympic Performance Director, Nancy Chillingworth, said, “The Irish Team aim to achieve great personal and collective success at the Games.  The performances of the athletes in the qualification phase demonstrate that the performance targets for the Irish team of five medals and fifteen finalists set by the Beijing Review) are realistic and achievable.  We’ve planned meticulously to ensure the correct environment is in place around each athlete at the Games to facilitate their optimum performance.”

The Irish Paralympic Team now head to Antrim for the first ever Paralympics Ireland training camp in Northern Ireland from June 28^th – July1st. They will attend the final Renault Ireland Team 2012 Training Camp in Limerick in August before heading to Portugal on August 16^th for the ISC Pre-Games Holding Camp.  The team will then travel directly from Portugal to take their place in the Paralympic Village in London on the 24^th August in advance of the opening ceremony on the 29^th August.

The Irish Paralympic Team kit manufactured by O’Neills was unveiled at today’s announcement.  The team kit was designed in collaboration with Paralympics Ireland to reflect the dynamic and elite nature of Paralympic sport.

Live coverage of the London2012 Paralympics Games will be available on Freeview on Setanta Sports.

REIGNING IRISH PARALYMPIC CHAMPIONS

Jason Smyth: T13 100m & 200m

Michael McKillop : T37 800m

CURRENT IRISH WORLD CHAMPIONS

Michael McKillop: T37 800m & 1500m

Catherine O’Neill: F51 Discus

Mark Rohan: H1 Time Trial & Road Race

Catherine Walsh & Fran Meehan: 3km Female Tandem Pursuit

Colin Lynch: C2 Road Time Trial

ATHLETICS:

Orla Barry
Ladysbridge, Cork F57 Discus

Ailish Dunne*

Mountmellick, Laois F11 Discus

F11 Shot Put

Heather Jameson*
Garristown, Dublin T37 100m
T37 200m
F37 Long Jump

Nadine Lattimore*
Baldoyle, Dublin F11 Discus
F11 Shot Put

James McCarthy
Clearview, Limerick F57 Shot Put

John McCarthy

Dunmanway, Cork F51 Club

T51 100m

Michael McKillop
Newtownabbey, Antrim T37 800m
T37 1500m

Ray O’Dwyer*
Hugginstown, Kilkenny F34 Discus
F34 Javelin
F34 Shot Put

Catherine O’Neill
New Ross, Wexford F51 Discus
F51 Club

Jason Smyth
Eglinton, Derry T13 100m
T13 200m

BOCCIA:

Roberta Connolly
Dublin BC2 Mixed Individual
BC1/2 Mixed Team

Johnny Cronin

Mallow, Cork BC3 Mixed Individual

Tom Leahy
Ballyhooly, Cork BC2 Mixed Individual
BC1/2 Mixed Team

Padraic Moran

Bray, Wicklow BC1/2 Mixed Team

Gabriel Shelly

Kilkenny BC1/2 Mixed Team

CYCLING:

James Brown Stonehouse, UK Track – MB 1km Time Trial, MB 4km Individual Pursuit

Road –  MB Time Trial, MB Road Race

Katie-George Dunleavy*
Crawley, UK Track – WB 1km Time Trial, WB 3km Individual Pursuit
Road –  WB Time Trial, WB Road Race

Sandra Fitzgerald*

Cobh, Cork Track – WB 1km Time Trial, WB 3km Individual Pursuit
Road –  WB Time Trial, WB Road Race

Colin Lynch

Macclesfield, UK Track – C1-3 Team Sprint, C2 3km Individual Pursuit
Road –  C2 Time Trial, C2 Road Race

Fran Meehan*
Kilurin, Offaly Track – WB 1km Time Trial, WB 3km Individual Pursuit
Road –  WB Time Trial, WB Road Race

Cathal Miller

Artane, Dublin Track – C1 1km Time Trial, C1 4km Individual Pursuit, C1-3Team Sprint
Road – C1 Time Trial, C1 Road Race

Mark Rohan*

Ballinahown, Westmeath HC1 Time Trial, HC1 Road Race

Damien Shaw*

Mullingar, Westmeath Track – MB 1km Time Trial, MB 4km Individual Pursuit
Road – MB Time Trial, MB Road Race

Enda Smyth
Santry, Dublin Cycling    Track – C3 1km Time Trial, C3 4km Individual Pursuit, C1-3 Team Sprint
Road – C3 Time Trial, C3 Road Race

Catherine Walsh
Swords, Dublin Track – WB 1km Time Trial, WB 3km Individual Pursuit
Road –  WB Time Trial, WB Road Race

EQUESTRIAN:

Eilish Byrne
Drogheda, Louth Grade II Team Test

Grade II Championship

James Dwyer*
Waterford (living in USA) Grade IV Team Test
Grade IV Championship
Geraldine Savage*

Dublin (living in York, UK) Grade Ia Team Test
Grade Ia Championship

Helen Kearney*
Dunlaven, Wicklow Grade Ia Team Test
Grade Ia Championship

POWERLIFTING:

Roy Guerin
Kilflynn, Kerry 67.5kg

ROWING:

Sarah Caffrey*
Clonlara, Clare Mixed Cox Four

Anne Marie McDaid*
Ramelton, Donegal Mixed Cox Four

Shane Ryan*
Ballybricken, Limerick Mixed Cox Four

Kevin Du Toit
London, UK Mixed Cox Four

Helen Arbuthnot*
Christchurch, UK Mixed Cox Four

SAILING:

John Twomey
Ballinahassig, Cork 3 Person Keelboat (Sonar)

Anthony Hegarty*
Mallow, Cork 3 Person Keelboat (Sonar)

Ian Costelloe*
Killorglin, Kerry 3 Person Keelboat (Sonar)

SHOOTING:

Sean Baldwin*
Newbridge, Kildare SH1 10m Air Rifle Standing
SH1 10m Air Rifle Prone
SH1 50m Pron
SH1 50m Rifle 3 Ways

SWIMMING:

Bethany Firth*
Seaford, Down S14 200m Freestyle
S14 100m Backstroke
SB14 100m Breastroke

Ellen Keane
Clontarf, Dublin SM9 200m Inividual Medley
SB8 100m Breastroke
S9 100m Butterfly

James Scully*
Ratoath, Meath S5 50m Freestyle
S5 50m Backstroke
S5 100m Freestyle
S5 200m Freestyle

Jonathan McGrath*
Killaloe,Clare S8 400m Freestyle

Darragh McDonald
Gorey, Wexford S6 50m Freestyle
S6 100m Freestyle
S6 400m Freestyle

Laurence McGivern*
Rostrevor, Down S9 100m Backstroke

TABLE TENNIS:

Eimear Breathnach
Ballinteer Dublin TT1 Singles
TT1-3 Team

Rena McCarron Rooney

Buncrana, Donegal TT2 Single

TT1-3 Team

Philip Quinlan*
Dublin TT1 Singles
TT1-2 Team

Ronan Rooney
Bearna, Galway TT2 Singles
TT1-2 Team

*denotes first time Paralympian

Attached timeline to Games

Date    Event   Venue
28/6 – 1/7            Camp Northern Ireland   Antrim
2/8 – 5/8              Renault Ireland Team 2012 Training Camp Limerick
15/8                        Team Departure Event    Bewleys Hotel, Dublin Airport
16/8 – 24/8         ISC PreGames Holding Camp       Coimbra, Portugal
24/8                        Team Arrival at Paralympic Village      London
29/8                       Opening Ceremony        London
30/8-8/9              Paralympic Games        London
9/9                          Closing Ceremony        London
10/9                        Team Return     Dublin
13/10                     Rio 2016 Talent Search Event    UCD, Dublin
7/12                       OCS Irish Paralympic Awards     Red Cow Moran Hotel.

Moran and Bewley’s Hotel Announce Official Hotel Partnership of the 2012 Irish Paralympic Team

Moran and Bewley’s Hotel Group are delighted to announce their official hotel partnership of the 2012 Irish Paralympic Team.

Paralympics Ireland is responsible for selecting, preparing and managing Ireland’s team at the Paralympic Games. Held every four years in parallel with the Olympic Games, this is the premier multisport event for elite athletes with a disability. Our athletes are currently building towards the once-in-a-lifetime “Home Games” of London 2012. As a registered charity, Paralympics Ireland also aims to ensure that Paralympic sport in its many forms (e.g. cycling, athletics, swimming, sailing, football, rowing, boccia, equestrian etc.) is accessible and offers the ultimate dream to those who reach elite standards of performance; the opportunity to represent Ireland at the Paralympic Games.

To celebrate our new partnership with the Irish Paralympic Team, we would like to offer a special discount to all families, friends and supporters of Paralympics Ireland. When reserving a room online for any Bewley’s Hotel in Ireland, simply input PI2012 in the Promo box and a discount of €10 per room per night will apply automatically to the best available room rate (subject to terms and conditions).

Join with us in supporting all the paralympians in their training and preparation to secure qualification for London 2012. Take a few moments today to enjoy the official video from the launch of Paralympics Ireland. Inspiring Beyond Belief.

Show your support, become a fan and follow the athletes on both the official Paralympics Ireland Facebook page and on the Moran Hotels Facebook page over the coming weeks and months.