Eddie Dunbar on the Kemmelberg in Gent Wevelgem 2016. In a new move, the Irish U23 squad is to receive grant funding for the year ahead (Photo: Oran Kelly)
13 Irish cyclists, two cycling teams get €250,000 in grants
Thirteen Irish cyclists and the U23 Irish squad and women’s team pursuiters have been awarded €250,000 in grants for 2018.
The money has been awarded under the Sport Irish international carding scheme.
Last year 17 riders and the team pursuit set-up received a total of €325,000. That means the number of riders and the total funding are both down this year.
However, that is also the case for other sports. Indeed, the total funding for cyclists awarded is higher than for any other sports.
The figures are slightly skewed in that athletics and swimming effectively get a second wave of funding for their athletes through Paralympics Ireland.
Advertisement
When the funding for athletics and athletics paralympic funding is combined, those involved in athletics receive a total of €440,000.
Similarly, when the swimming funding is added to the funding for swimmers via Paralympics Ireland, swimmers’ total funding is €248,000.
That means in real terms cyclists are the second-best funded of all sports, behind only those involved in athletics.
Two men new to funding in 2018; Marc Potts and Ronan Grimes. And our road champion and Europeans track medal winner Lydia Boylan.
A total of €1.9 million is awarded to 90 athletes. They are all regarded as prospects in major championships this year, though the funding is intended to aid them towards Tokyo 2020.
The funding for cyclists is awarded to track riders and para riders. The only notable road riders on the list are Mark Downey (21), Lydia Boylan (30) and Marc Potts (26). But they also ride the track and are funded for the track.
The funding is awarded in tiers; podium status carrying most funding followed by world class and international.
Last year Colin Lynch (47), Eoghan Clifford and Katie George Dunlevy (36) and her pilot were all classed as podium. However, only Dunlevy received the maximum podium funding of €60,000.
This time around Dunlevy – with pilot Eve McCrystal (39) – is the only Irish rider to be given Olympic podium rating. And once again that brings with it €60,000 for her in 2018.
Clifford is not on the funding list this year and while Lynch is there, his funds drop from €40,000 last year to €20,000 for 2018.
The new names on the list this year are Ronan Grimes (29) and Potts; both receiving a deserved €12,000 for the year.
Grimes (29) rides with Orwell Wheelers. He made his Worlds debut last week and took 9th in the 1km TT and 8th the scratch race and 4km individual pursuit.
Potts has ridden very well on the track of late for Ireland. He was 4th in the scratch race at the Europeans last year and was 13th in the same event at the Worlds four weeks ago.
He also then resumed road racing when he returned to Ireland won three road races over the St Patrick’s Day Bank Holiday weekend.
As well as Ronan Grimes and Marc Potts securing funding for the first time, the U23 men are also new on the list.
That squad gets a combined €10,000 to aid their foreign racing. The women’s pursuit set-up gets €20,000, which is the same as last year.
Along with evergreen veteran Lynch, five other riders also get €20,000 under world class funding.
Among them are Lydia Gurley (33) and Boylan. They won madison silver in the omnium at the Europeans in Berlin last October and are a dark horse for the Olympics; two to keep a very close eye on.
Others receiving €20,000 are Felix English (25) and Downey, as well as sprinter Robyn Stewart (27).
The sole Olympian on the list, Shannon McCurley (25) gets €8,000. Peter Ryan (27) and tandem pilot Sean Hahessy (22) receive €18,000.
Cyclists in the money for 2018...
- Felix English World Class €20,000.00
- Lydia Boylan World Class €20,000.00
- Lydia Gurley World Class €20,000.00
- Marc Potts International €12,000.00
- Mark Downey World Class €20,000.00
- Robyn Stewart World Class €20,000.00
- Shannon McCurley International €8,000.00
- Colin Lynch World Class €20,000.00
- Katie George Dunlevy & Eve McCrystal Podium €60,000.00
- Peter Ryan & Sean Hahessy International €18,000.00
- Ronan Grimes International €12,000.00
- Men U23 Development Team Pool Funding €10,000.00
- Women’s Pursuit Team Pool Funding €20,000.00
How the sports compare: Athletes and totals
Athletics Ireland
Thomas Barr Podium €40,000
Ciara Mageean World Class €20,000
Fionnula McCormack World Class €20,000
Brian Gregan World Class €16,000
Mark English World Class €16,000
Alex Wright International €12,000
Brendan Boyce International €12,000
Christine McMahon International €12,000
Michelle Finn International €12,000
Paul Pollock International €12,000
Sara Treacy International €12,000
Total €184,000
Badminton Ireland
Chloe Magee World Class €20,000
Sam Magee World Class €20,000
Joshua Magee International €12,000
(Para) Niall McVeigh International €12,000
Total €64,000
Canoeing Ireland
Liam Jegou International €12,000
(Para) Patrick O’Leary World Class €20,000
Jennifer Egan World Class €20,000
Canoeing Ireland Tom Brennan International €12,000
Total €64,000
Irish Athletic Boxing Association
Joe Ward Podium €40,000
Brendan Irvine World Class €20,000
Kurt Walker World Class €20,000
Kellie Harrington World Class €20,000
Sean McComb International €12,000
Michael Nevin International €12,000
Christina Desmond International €12,000
Grainne Walsh International €12,000
Kieran Molloy International €12,000
Michaela Walsh International €12,000
Related News
Total €172,000
Irish Clay Target Shooting Association
Ian O’Sullivan World Class €20,000
Aoife Gormally International €12,000
Total €32,000
Irish Sailing Association
Annalise Murphy Podium €40,000
Ryan Seaton World Class €20,000
Finn Lynch International €12,000
Aoife Hopkins International €12,000
Seafra Guilfoyle World Class €20,000
Aisling Keller International €12,000
Total €116,000
Irish Judo Association
Megan Fletcher International €12,000
Ben Fletcher International €12,000
Total €24,000
Paralympics Ireland
Jason Smyth Podium €40,000
Greta Streimikyte World Class €20,000
Michael McKillop Podium €40,000
Niamh McCarthy Podium €40,000
Noelle Lennihan Podium €40,000
Orla Barry Podium €40,000
Paul Keogan International €12,000
Patrick Monahan International €12,000
Orla Comerford International €12,000
Ellen Keane Podium €40,000
Ailbhe Kelly International €12,000
Barry McClements International €12,000
Nicole Turner World Class €20,000
James Scully International €12,000
Total €352,000
Pentathlon Ireland
Kate Coleman International €12,000
Sive Brassill International €12,000
Natalya Coyle World Class €20,000
Arthur Lanigan O’Keeffe World Class €20,000
Total €64,000
Rowing Ireland
Paul O’Donovan Podium €40,000
Gary O’Donovan Podium €40,000
Denise Walsh World Class €20,000
Mark O’Donovan World Class €20,000
Sanita Puspure World Class €20,000
Shane O’Driscoll World Class €20,000
Aifric Keogh World Class €20,000
Aileen Crowley World Class €20,000
Monika Dukarska International €12,000
Men’s Under 23 Programme Pool Funding €40,000
Total €212,000
Swim Ireland
Oliver Dingley World Class €20,000
Mona McSharry World Class €20,000
Shane Ryan World Class €20,000
Conor Ferguson World Class €20,000
Alex Murphy International €12,000
Brendan Hyland International €12,000
Jordan Sloan International €12,000
Nicholas Quinn International €12,000
Men’s Freestyle Relay International €12,000
Men’s Medley Relay International €12,000
Total €152,000
Table Tennis (Para)
Colin Judge World Class €20,000
Total €20,000
Triathlon Ireland
Russell White International €12,000
Total €12,000
Irish Taekwondo Union
Jack Woolley International €12,000
Total €12,000
Gymnastics Ireland
Rhys McClenaghan Andrew Smith Pool Funding €25,000
Total €25,000
Hockey Ireland
Team Funding Pool Funding €45,000
Total €45,000
Topics
