NMCU Elite Sports Fund
23 July, 2024North Midlands Credit Union has for many years operated a Social and Cultural Fund, which to date has provided over €2.3 million in financial assistance to various voluntary organisations through our common bond geographical area of North Westmeath and Longford. Many sports clubs across a huge range of sporting activities have benefited from this fund on an annual basis.
However, the Social and Cultural Fund is mainly focused towards supporting group activities and organisations which are working in the wider community rather than individual activities and pursuits. We saw a need to develop a fund that could support young sports people who had the potential, drive and commitment to reach an elite level of sporting achievement.
From our interaction with some of these young people, their coaches and mentors we could see the level of commitment that is required to be successful at this level:
- rigorous training programmes – often five, six or even seven days a week with maybe two or three sessions of training each day,
- putting their academic life and work careers on hold for years and watching their friends having what looks a far easier life, enjoying an active social life, progress in jobs, travel etc.
We also saw the need to support these young people financially, to provide some level of financial assistance to help with the costs, be that gear, travelling to events, access to specialised training camps or just everyday living.
With all this in mind, our Board decided to develop a limited special fund with the aim of helping young sports people who have achieved notable success in their career to date and have ambitions to excel (probably to international level) in their chosen sport. The fund is limited to €10,000 for our financial year 2023/24 which goes to the end of September 2024. We hope that the fund will be successful in helping these young sports people achieve their potential and that the fund will be extended on an annual basis. The fund is available to sports people across the full range of sporting activities and will be targeted at people who are not already highly supported financially by other bodies or sponsors. While we are still in an early stage of development, we are working with sporting organisations to ensure that all awards are given strictly on merit and that the application and decision-making process can be seen as fair and transparent.
For 2024, we have made awards to four young sports people:
Darragh Greene – Full time athlete from Co. Longford. Having represented Ireland in swimming at every major competition, from European Championships all the way to Olympic games 2020. He is currently training for Paris 2024 and is fully focused on winning an Olympic medal.
Achievements to date:
- Tokyo 2020 Olympian
- World Championships finalist 2024, Semi-finalist 2018/2019
- European Championships finalist/semi-finalist 2018/2021/2022/2024
- World University Games finalist 2017
- National Record holder in the 50m, 100m & 200m Breaststroke.
- First Irish swimmer to break 60 seconds for 100m Breaststroke.
His goal in swimming is to make it to the finals at the Paris Olympic games 2024.
Cormac Dalton – Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, studied Biotechnology for 4 years at DCU, completed his Master’s in Business in Oklahoma, USA. Cormac now works part time in a pharmaceutical engineering company.
Achievements to date:
- Qualified for the 2024 European 10,000 meters track championship
- Won the All-Ireland Cross-Country in 2023
- Came 8th in the European Cross-Country
- Came 10th in the USA 10,000 meters
Short term goals include making it to more European and World Championships. He wants to keep competing among the great quality runners in Ireland. Long term goal is to make it to the LA Olympics in 2028.
Oisin Lane – 22 years old from Ballymahon, Co. Longford. Studying Psychology at the University of Limerick. Oisin competes in Race Walking – more specifically 20K race walking.
Achievements to date:
- Qualifying for the 2024 European Seniors
- Finishing 4th in the European Youth Olympics
- National Seniors 10K Champion 2024
- National Juvenile titles & U23 titles
Short term goals winning more National Seniors and making it to the World Championships in Tokyo next year. Long term goal is to make it to the Olympics & perform well.
Eoin Quinn – Aspiring professional athlete from Delvin, Co. Westmeath. Studied Accounting & Finance at DCU and has since deferred his academic pursuits and works part time to fully focus and dedicate himself to his athletic career.
Achievements to date:
- National U20 All Irelands for the 800m, 2021
- Represented Ireland at the European U20 800m Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, 2021
- Qualifier for National Seniors 800m final in 2024
Short term goals include representing Ireland at the highest levels of competition. Loan term goal is to compete in the senior European Championships and, eventually, the Olympics.
