Ed Sheeran and Van Morrison guitars in auction for NI athletes
Guitars belonging to Ed Sheeran and Van Morrison are set to go under the hammer to support the next generation of Northern Ireland's sports stars.
They are among the lots to be auctioned both online and at the Mary Peters Trust's annual Sport Inspires festive lunch this year.
The trust, set up by Mary Peters after her gold medal win at the 1972 Olympics, supports young people in the pursuit of their sporting dreams.
Van Morrison's guitar has been pre-signed by the music star.
Ed Sheeran is to autograph his Lowden guitar - made in Co Down - with a personal message to the ultimate owner post-auction.
Also going under the auctioneer's gavel will be artworks by Lisburn's Neil Shawcross and James Bond actress Jane Seymour, also famous for the American Western series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman.
Mary Peters thanked all for their generosity.
"It's early stages and plans are still being created, so expect a sprinkling of surprises on Friday November 21," she said.
"I'd like to thank Ed Sheeran and Van Morrison for their huge generosity and, of course, my friend and artist, Neil Shawcross, and Jane Seymour who, in addition to her high-profile acting credits, is now an accomplished and highly respected watercolourist.
"The trust also greatly appreciates the work our fellow board director, Julie Hastings, did to secure such a beautiful Jane Seymour floral composition and a coveted, signed, Van Morrison guitar."
The fundraiser will look forward to next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as well as paying tribute to the achievements of local athletes across five decades since the trust's inception in 1975.
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RTÉ News
9 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Ed Sheeran and Van Morrison guitars in auction for NI athletes
Guitars belonging to Ed Sheeran and Van Morrison are set to go under the hammer to support the next generation of Northern Ireland's sports stars. They are among the lots to be auctioned both online and at the Mary Peters Trust's annual Sport Inspires festive lunch this year. The trust, set up by Mary Peters after her gold medal win at the 1972 Olympics, supports young people in the pursuit of their sporting dreams. Van Morrison's guitar has been pre-signed by the music star. Ed Sheeran is to autograph his Lowden guitar - made in Co Down - with a personal message to the ultimate owner post-auction. Also going under the auctioneer's gavel will be artworks by Lisburn's Neil Shawcross and James Bond actress Jane Seymour, also famous for the American Western series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman. Mary Peters thanked all for their generosity. "It's early stages and plans are still being created, so expect a sprinkling of surprises on Friday November 21," she said. "I'd like to thank Ed Sheeran and Van Morrison for their huge generosity and, of course, my friend and artist, Neil Shawcross, and Jane Seymour who, in addition to her high-profile acting credits, is now an accomplished and highly respected watercolourist. "The trust also greatly appreciates the work our fellow board director, Julie Hastings, did to secure such a beautiful Jane Seymour floral composition and a coveted, signed, Van Morrison guitar." The fundraiser will look forward to next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as well as paying tribute to the achievements of local athletes across five decades since the trust's inception in 1975.
RTÉ News
14 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Homeward-bound Daniel Wiffen primed for tilt at world title in Singapore
Daniel Wiffen will plot his path to the Los Angeles Olympics from a home base following his graduation from Loughborough University. The two-time Paris Games medallist prepared for the 2024 Olympics while based at the renowned English college, but now, having ended his academic assignments, Wiffen is eyeing a move back home this summer. But first, the Olympic champion is fully focused on the upcoming 2025 World Aquatics Championships, which are taking place in Singapore from 11 July to 3 August. And the Magheralin man will be looking to repeat the feat of the last edition of the world championships, where he secured double gold in his main events of the 800m and 1500m freestyle. "Training is going great," said Wiffen, speaking to RTE Sport. "We've been doing some crazy sets, which I've been really fast, so I'm really looking forward to the world championships. "I want to win gold, which is an easy one to say because I have already won the world championships twice, so for me that's what it is going to be, re-win the medals I've already won, it's that simple." The 23-year-old said that outside the pool, he has been immersed in the business of sports analytics, with the help of sponsors Deloitte, aiming for ways to go faster and become more efficient in racing scenarios. And he believes that he is identifying factors, which will help him to bring additional strengths to his swimming as he progresses towards the LA Games in three years' time. "I'm looking at what I did wrong in Paris, not obviously winning the gold medal, but there are actually quite a lot of areas where I can improve, so that's what I am looking at," said Wiffen. "I'm looking at the analytics side of it. Maybe if I did that turn faster, or maybe if I didn't breathe at that point or reduce my breathing time, something like that, it's all looking at those little details and if I can refine them, that's how I keep progressing every year. "I wasn't perfect at all, far from it, and that's what makes it exciting for me going towards LA, because if I can win gold in a race when I was 80% there, when I have 20% left in the tank where I can actually improve from." Wiffen won the gold medal in the 800m freestyle in Paris and followed it up with a bronze in the 1500m, and admitted that he struggled with the aftermath of such a high. However, it did not take too long to rediscover his competitive streak, thanks to his lifelong sibling rivalry with twin brother Nathan. "Motivation was maybe a bit low after Paris, because obviously you have come off this giant high and then I went on holiday for so long. "But when I went back training, Nathan had been back a month and he was beating me in training, so as soon as I started losing, honestly I'm the worst loser, I hate it. "So I switched back on and started winning again, and that's me. I just have that personality and that rivalry I have with my brother makes me want to go faster again." And it all sets things up perfectly for a run at making it back-to-back successes at the upcoming Worlds as Wiffen goes after that top spot on the podium, despite coming into the championships without the favourite tag. "I was number one in the world for a while, but we've had some pretty fast Germans who had some quick times, so I'm just looking forward to racing them," said Wiffen. "I think I'm sitting second and third in the world at the moment so I just want to progress one or two spots. "I'm looking forward to the challenge and it's kind of nice not going in as favourite for the season because I like looking for a better story for when I win." And while Wiffen is fully expecting to come home with some medals from Singapore, he is also challenging himself to bring home a personal accolade from the championships, at least, in the form of a PB, and perhaps something even more prestigious. "I'm definitely going for it (the world record)," he said. "I feel you can't not go to a race being only a second off the world record and not be going for it, so that's my goal. "I've PB'd at every major international competition that I've done, so I aim to PB one more time before I break that world record. Time will tell." In absentia for the official university graduation next month, the college will accommodate an early exchange of formalities and obligatory photo opportunities before heading off to Singapore, as Wiffen signs off from what has been a perfect partnership with the highly regarded sporting institution. And once the Worlds are completed, Wiffen will pack up his belongings in England, complete with his ever-growing medal collection, and head home to start plotting that path to the America Games in 2028, while looking forward to an off-season traipsing the great golfing links of Ireland to help recharge for next season. "I'm moving back to Ireland," confirmed Wiffen. "My rent is up in August and I'll be moving back. "I haven't actually appointed my coach yet, I'm still deciding, so I'm looking forward to that, and more than likely it will be based in Dublin," he addd, confirming that Andi Manley is no longer his coach. "So Dublin based, but a lot of prolonged training periods in different countries with different people. Obviously, we don't have the training partners in Ireland I want to train with, so I'll have to take camps away in America or Italy, but based in Ireland. "And I'll be taking my off-season in Ireland, going around the country golfing. Last year it was surfing, this year it's golf."
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Daniel Wiffen reveals drastic life change he's undertaking in order to maximise chances at LA Olympics
DANIEL WIFFEN is moving home for the next step on his road to world domination — which will be taken with a new coach. 2 Deloitte Ireland yesterday announced a four-year partnership with Wiffen 2 Monday's announcement came on Global Olympics Day Credit: Alamy The 23-year-old Manley told him he needed the change now to achieve his goal of becoming a treble gold medal winner at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Wiffen said: 'I am moving out of my house in Loughborough, so I'm definitely moving back to Ireland as my main training base. 'I will be doing stints in America. The Olympics are going to be there so you have to get ready for that way of life and time zone. Read More On Irish Sport 'Nathan is going to be there. You can only stay so far away from your twin you were born three minutes before so that's what I'm going to do. I'll be moving coach and it's going to be hard. 'I only decided four weeks ago that I was going to be leaving Loughborough. It was maybe two weeks ago when we had the conversation. 'We're really good friends and we chat all the time. He wants what's best for me. He's not a selfish coach and he's not going to tell me to stay just for his own benefit. 'He thinks it's beneficial for my career, that I need a new start because being in a university programme, you get 18-year-olds, 17-year-olds coming in every year who are a lot lower level than what I am at this point in my career. Most read in Other Sports 'You want to strive to be better than the people . . . you want to train with somebody better than you though it's hard to train with somebody better than an Olympic gold medallist. 'It's trying to progress in other areas. A university programme probably isn't the best place for me at this point in my career.' Full circle moment' - Jacqui Hurley emotional as RTE host prepares to represent Ireland on global stage Wiffen is unsure who will coach him but is happy to return to his Armagh base and work from there with support from Swim Ireland. But having won over fans last year when he declared he would win an Olympic gold medal in Paris and then achieved the feat, he has even loftier goals for LA 2028. He said: 'The end goal is three gold medals at LA. I'm just training away and refining the skills right now. 'And then at the start of July I'm leaving for Malaysia for our pre-camp before the World Championships in Singapore in August. 'I've been told a couple of times by different world champions that the hardest world championships to win is the one after winning the Olympics. 'I'm up for the challenge. Obviously my goal is to stay undefeated in the 800 metres. I haven't lost in the 800m freestyle since 2023. 'For me that's the goal — just to keep undefeated and win another gold medal and then hopefully add that 400m and try to challenge it a bit more, and then for the 1500m. 'It's to try and progress from that bronze medal and win the gold I won in Doha before. 'I would say we're aiming for three gold medals. The 400m is maybe a bit of a stretch because it's a new event, but definitely two.' DEALINGS WITH RUDD Wiffen also spoke on the subject of former Swim Ireland National Performance Director Jon Rudd, who was the subject of a BBC Panorama programme that None of the allegations were from Rudd's time in Ireland and Swim Ireland But Wiffen said he always enjoyed working with Swim Ireland while highlighting that he had few dealings with Rudd and no knowledge of the allegations. He said: 'I've only got good things to say about Swim Ireland and how they have supported me. Jon was not a performance director for me, he wasn't my coach. 'He just answered emails for me and was never on poolside coaching. So I would have no idea.'
