The victorious Irish World Transplant Games team arrived home from Thailand to an ecstatic welcome last night after bagging an unprecedented 39 medals.
Ireland's stand-out athlete was team captain Deirdre Faul, who was weighed down with her haul of three gold and three bronze medals from an impressive array of disciplines: squash, golf, bowling and swimming.
"Athletes at the Worlds can enter up to five different events," said team manager and Irish Kidney Association worker Colin White. "Some of them are purely social competitors, but then you have exceptional athletes like Deirdre who are actually good at the sports."
Faul (39), a liver transplant recipient, was met at the airport by her young sons and her parents. She suffered complete liver failure in 2003 and is living proof that active life doesn't grind to a halt after a transplant.
"People don't realise that there are many adults and children waiting for organ donations; their quality of life will be infinitely improved after transplantation," said Faul. "I hope the World Transplant Games and the publicity it generates will encourage more people to carry an organ donor card."
The team of 24 athletes ranged from Rachel Eagleton (21), who picked up a gold medal in the 10- pin bowling pairs and a bronze in singles tennis, to 71-year-old heart recipient Terry Mangan .
Mangan, who plays golf off a 19 handicap, got his new heart 11 years ago.
"The reasoning behind the games, and why the Irish Kidney Association has got behind it, is to show that transplant recipients can lead very active lives," White said last night. "Transplant recipients don't have to lead quiet lives - they have got a lot of life left to live."
During the games it was announced that Dublin won its bid to host the European Transplant and Dialysis Games in 2010.