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05 Sept 2025

Bronze medal win for Kildare man James Nolan at World Transplant Games

Kilcullen's James Nolan took bronze in the Golf singles at the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany last week

Kildare's James Nolan discusses organ donation following double medal win at European Transplant Games

Kilcullen butcher and Irish Transplant Games athlete James Nolan

Kilcullen's James Nolan took bronze the Golf singles at the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany last week.

Nolan was among 29 Irish athletes competing in the World Transplant games The Games are a celebration of a second chance of life, demonstrating the success of transplant surgery and promoting the need to raise public awareness of organ and tissue donation. With over 2000 athletes competing in over 17 sports, the World Transplant Games is the sporting pinnacle of the world transplant community, catering to both high-performance and social athletes.

The widely-known Kildare butcher had his kidney transplant in 1987. He explained, "My sister, Catherine Doyle, gave me the greatest gift that any human being can give to another human being when she gave me one of her Kidneys on July 25, 1987. Catherine gave me a second chance in life when she donated one of her kidneys to me, and for that I will always be eternally grateful. I am well aware as to how lucky I am to be still here and making the most of my life all thanks to Catherine. I only have to think of the journey that I’ve been on in my life to remind myself just how lucky I am to be so healthy and able to do so much with my life. So the past gives me strength reminds me all the time to be so grateful for the present."

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