CATHAL DANIELS
EQUESTRIAN
BIOGRAPHY
In 2012, aged 15, Cathal won individual and team gold at the European Pony Eventing Championship in France. He won two team golds and individual silver at European U18s (2013/2014) as well as European U21 team bronze and fourth individually in 2015. In 2018 he was part of Ireland’s team silver at the World Equestrian Games. In 2019 he won senior individual bronze at the European Championships on Rioghan Rua or ‘Red’ as she is known, Ireland’s first podium place at that level since 1995. In 2020 he was fifth at the World Championships for Young Horses and he is the only rider under 25 years of age in the world’s top 20 eventers. He is based on the Curragh in Kildare and will make his Olympic debut in Tokyo.
OTHER EQUESTRIAN ATHLETES
Jack Kelly
Jack KellyRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Jack, who captained Ireland in the 2017 U20 Six Nations, came through the Leinster academy and played one Pro14 game, against Ospreys, in 2018. He made his international Sevens debut in London 2019 and He 2019- 2020 was his breakout season. He studies law at Trinity College and is fluent in …
Gavin Mullin
Gavin MullinRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY The team’s newest addition. Gavin came through the Leinster academy. made two Pro14 appearances and played for Ireland U20s in 2017. First Sevens games versus GB and USA in May 2021 but still technically ‘uncapped’. He was due to debut in the Olympic qualifier in Monaco but got injured beforehand. He …
Hugo Lennox
Hugo LennoxRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Hugo starred for Skerries Community School when they got the Leinster School’s Cup semi-finals in 2016 and has played AIL with Clontarf and his home club but also played briefly for Barnhall while studying at Maynooth University. Debut was London 2019 and has blossomed since. His brother Conor also stars for …
Ian Fitzpatrick
Ian FitzpatrickRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Another of Ireland Seven’s five ‘Originals’ Ian came through the Leinster academy at the same time as team captain Billy Dardis and played U20 for Ireland in 2014. He made his Sevens debut in Zagreb in 2015 and has been fulltime since 2018 but had a bad run of injuries. He …
Bryan Mollen
Bryan MollenRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Born in Nairobi, to a Dutch father and Dublin mother, Brian has lived all around the world (Kenya, Holland, France, Australia and Belgium) due to his dad’s job as a diplomat. His rugby breakthrough came in Blackrock College where he was on a winning Leinster Schools squad that included Joey Carbery …
Greg O’Shea
Greg O’SheaRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Greg was a talented sprinter and represented Ireland in the 2011 Youth Olympics in Turkey before coming through the Munster academy. Made his Sevens debut in Lodz 2017. Originally not picked for the final Olympic qualifier but when Gavin Mullen was ruled out with injury he got called up and played …
Jordan Conroy
Jordan ConroyRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY The Offaly flier is a superstar on the world stage. He started out as a very promising runner and soccer player before concentrating on rugby, initially with Buccaneers in the All-Ireland league, with whom Irish coach Anthony Eddy first saw him playing on the back pitch at the Aviva stadium. Jordan’s …
Terry Kennedy
Terry KennedyRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Another ‘original’. One was the Irish U20 team (with Hugo Keegan, Jack Stockdale and James Ryan) who reached the ‘junior’ World Cup final in 2016 and has played AIL for St Mary’s. He made his Sevens debut in Zagreb 2015 and is another flier who links brilliantly with Jordan Conroy for …
Harry McNulty
Harry McNultyRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Harry was born in Bahrain and lived in London too before settling in Dublin. He won a Munster schools Cup with Rockwell and is another of the team’s five ‘originals’, making his Irish debut in Bosnia 2015. In the early stages of COVID he went to USA to play for LA …
Mark Roche
Mark RocheRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Another of the five ‘originals’ who played for Blackrock in the AIL and for Ireland’s U20 in 2013 before joining Ireland Sevens’ inaugural squad in 2015. He was part of the side that impressed at the London Sevens invitational in 2018, beating England to claim third place. His Irish debut was …
Adam Leavy
ADAM LEAVYRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY A product of the Connacht Academy and played for Lansdowne before joining the Irish Sevens programme in 2017, making his debut in Exeter that year. Took a six-month break from rugby during Covid-lockdown last year to study and graduated with a Masters in finance from UCD the week before the Olympic …
Billy Dardis
Billy DardisRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY A member of the Leinster academy for three years and played for Ireland U20s in 2014-15. Switched to Sevens fulltime in 2017-2018 season after making his debut in Malmo 2016. Succeeded Tom Daly as Ireland captain in 2017 and captain ever since. Billy has a degree in health and performance science …
Foster Horan
Foster HoranRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Foster is one the team’s five so-called ‘originals’ who have been involved since Ireland’s first Sevens squad was inaugurated in 2015. Started out with Gorey RFC and played U20 for Ireland (2012) before switching to Sevens. Had injury problems pre-Covid but now back to top form. OTHER RUGBY SEVENS ATHLETES{{ vc_btn: …
EQUESTRIAN NEWS
Bernard Jackman Appointed Acting Head of Sport at HSI
JACKMAN APPOINTED ACTING HEAD OF SPORT AT HSI Former Ireland rugby international to oversee high performance programme in run-up to Paris Olympics Bernard Jackman has been appointed Acting Head of High Performance Sport at Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) in the lead-up to the Olympic Games in Paris. The former Ireland rugby union international, who won a …
Bernard Jackman Appointed Acting Head of Sport at HSI Read More »
Ireland win team silver at FEI European Championship
The Irish Senior Show Jumping team moved up the leader board in Milano to finish second The Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping team delivered an excellent performance to claim the silver medal in the team final of the FEI Jumping European Championship in Milano, Italy, this afternoon, Friday 1st of September. Michael Blake’s quartet of Michael …
Ireland win team silver at FEI European Championship Read More »
Irish Eventing team secure Olympic qualification with superb performance at World Championships
A fantastic performance from the Irish Eventing team of Sam Watson, Padraig McCarthy, Susie Berry and Austin O’Connor, managed by Dag Albert at the FEI Eventing World Championships in Pratoni, Italy, has secured Olympic qualification for the Irish team for Paris 2024. A fifth place finish following today’s final Show Jumping phase saw Ireland take one of the seven coveted Olympic …
Irish Eventing team in battle for Olympic qualification this weekend at World Championships
The Irish Eventing team, led by Horse Sport Ireland’s acting High Performance Director Dag Albert, are in 12th place overall following today’s (Friday) conclusion of the Dressage phase at the FEI Eventing World Championships in Pratoni, Italy. Ireland are just under 13 penalties off seventh position heading into the weekend, which is the all-important cut-off …
Michael Blake’s Ireland win Aga Khan Trophy after thriller at RDS
For the first time in seven years, Ireland have won the famous Aga Khan trophy at the Dublin Horse Show following an outstanding performance in the Longines FEI Nations Cup of Ireland from Michael Blake’s team of Conor Swail (Count Me In), Max Wachman (Berlux Z), Shane Sweetnam (James Kann Cruz (ISH) and Cian O’Connor …
Michael Blake’s Ireland win Aga Khan Trophy after thriller at RDS Read More »
Brilliant Irish Show Jumping team claim Olympic qualification for Paris with fourth place finish at World Championships
On an evening of high drama at the ECCO FEI World Show Jumping Championships in Herning, Denmark last night (Friday), an outstanding performance from Michael Blake’s Irish Show Jumping team of Denis Lynch, Bertram Allen, Cian O’Connor and Daniel Coyle, saw them take one of the five coveted places on offer for the 2024 Olympic …
