Sports Council Grants: Irish boxers were the big winners today when the Sports Council announced its funding scheme for 2011.
Reflecting the success in the ring over recent years, eight members - John Joe Nevin, Kenneth Egan, Paddy Barnes, Darren O’Neill, Katie Taylor, Eric Donovan, tyrone McCullough and John Joe Joyce - of the Amateur Boxing Association were awarded “Podium” sums of €40,000 each.
David Oliver Joyce received “World Class” status and €20,000, while 11 other boxers have been promised €12,000, bringing the total purse bound for IABA athletes to €472,000.
Walkers Olive Loghnane and Robert Heffernan, 400m specialist David Gillick and hurdler Derval O’Rourke were allocated the highest funding as well, but Paul Hession was deemed “World Class” and will get 50 per cent of what the quartet receive.
The Athletics Ireland funding totals €276,000.
Cycling will benefit to the tune of €316,000 with three competitors – Daniel Martin, Catherin Walsh and Mark Rohan – receiving €40,000 each and the women’s track squad getting €36,000.
Canoeist Eoin Rheinisch, swimmer Grainne Murphy, clay pigeon shooter Derek Burnett (€30,000), Padraic Moran of Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland and three Paralympians – Orla Barry, Jason Smyth, Michael McKillop – will also receive “podium” funding.
The funding announced today covers 20 sporting organisations and totals €1,954,500.