Latest news with #UlsterUniversity
Irish Examiner
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kate O'Connor on course for gold at World University Games
Kate O'Connor has put herself in prime position to win gold at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany – the Dundalk athlete sitting atop the overnight standings in the heptathlon with four of the seven events completed. O'Connor racked up 3737 points on day one, leaving her 137 points clear of Hungary's Szabina Szucs, with Austria's Emilia Surch third on 3552. O'Connor, a master's student in communication and PR at Ulster University, started the day with a 13.89-second clocking in the 100m hurdles, some way down on her best of 13.57. But she bounced back with a hugely impressive 1.83m in the high jump, the second highest clearance of her career, which she went over at her first attempt. That left her atop the leaderboard on 2010 points, and O'Connor extended her lead in the shot put, throwing 13.76m. She closed the day in spectacular fashion, smashing her personal best with 24.33, her previous best being the 24.73 she ran in 2022. It's already been a record-breaking year for the 24-year-old, who won pentathlon bronze at the European Indoors in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands before winning World Indoor silver in Nanjing, China. Kate O'Connor, from Dundalk in Louth, representing Ulster University and Ireland. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile. She smashed the Irish pentathlon record twice indoors, and is on track to smash her Irish heptathlon record of 6297, which dates back to 2021. Her current tally of 3737 points is well clear of the 3666 she had amassed at the same point of the competition when she set the national record. O'Connor will be back on track on Thursday morning for the heptathlon long jump, with the javelin in the early afternoon and the climactic 800m at 7.12pm Irish time. A live stream is available on Just four Irish athletes have ever won gold at the World University Games: Ronnie Delany over 800m in 1961; Niall Bruton and Sonia O'Sullivan over 1500m in 1991; and Thomas Barr in the 400m hurdles in 2015. Barring injury or any major glitches on day two, O'Connor is likely to add her name to that list. She is strong in all the remaining events, having improved her long jump best to 6.32m this year and her 800m best to 2:11.42, while the javelin is usually her forte. Her best of 52.92m dates to 2019 and this will be her first time throwing it in competition since last year's Paris Olympics. Elsewhere, Jack Raftery came home fourth in the men's 400m final, the Dubliner unable to quite reproduce his recent heroics at the European Team Championships, where he became the second Irishman in history after David Gillick to break 45 seconds. Raftery left himself a difficult task after finishing third in his semi-final, which saw him drawn on the difficult inside lane for the final. Nonetheless he charged into medal contention off the final bend but couldn't quite pull it off, coming home fourth in 45.69, with gold going to South Africa's Lythe Pilay in 44.84. Lauren Roy advanced to the semi-finals of the women's 200m after finishing second in her heat in 23.57. Meanwhile, Sarah Lavin was in action in Eisenstadt, Austria, the Limerick athlete clocking 12.83 (+1.3m/s) to finish third in the women's 100m hurdles, with Poland's Pia Skrzyszowska taking victory in 12.72. Lavin had earlier clocked 12.92 to finish runner-up in the heats.
Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Kate O'Connor in pole position for gold at World University Games
O'Connor racked up 3737 points on day one, leaving her 137 points clear of Hungary's Szabina Szucs, with Austria's Emilia Surch third on 3552. O'Connor, a master's student in communication and PR at Ulster University, started the day with a 13.89-second clocking in the 100m hurdles, some way down on her best of 13.57. But she bounced back with a hugely impressive 1.83m in the high jump, the second highest clearance of her career, which she went over at her first attempt. That left her atop the leaderboard on 2010 points, and O'Connor extended her lead in the shot put, throwing 13.76m. She closed the day in spectacular fashion, smashing her personal best over 200m with 24.33, her previous best being the 24.73 she ran in 2022. It's already been a record-breaking year for the 24-year-old, who won pentathlon bronze at the European Indoors in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands before winning World Indoor silver in Nanjing, China. She smashed the Irish pentathlon record twice indoors, and is on track to smash her Irish heptathlon record of 6297, which dates back to 2021. Her current tally of 3737 points is well clear of the 3666 she had amassed at the same point of the competition when she set the national record. O'Connor will be back on track on Thursday morning for the heptathlon long jump, with the javelin in the early afternoon and the climactic 800m at 7.12pm Irish time. A live stream is available on Just four Irish athletes have ever won gold at the World University Games: Ronnie Delany over 800m in 1961; Niall Bruton and Sonia O'Sullivan over 1500m in 1991; and Thomas Barr in the 400m hurdles in 2015. Barring injury or any major glitches on day two, O'Connor is likely to add her name to that list. She is strong in all the remaining events, having improved her long jump best to 6.32m this year and her 800m best to 2:11.42, while the javelin is usually her forte. Her best of 52.92m dates to 2019 and this will be her first time throwing it in competition since last year's Paris Olympics. Elsewhere, Jack Raftery came home fourth in the men's 400m final, the Dubliner unable to quite reproduce his recent heroics at the European Team Championships, where he became the second Irishman in history after David Gillick to break 45 seconds. Raftery left himself a difficult task after finishing third in his semi-final, which saw him drawn on the difficult inside lane for the final. Nonetheless he charged into medal contention off the final bend but couldn't quite pull it off, coming home fourth in 45.69, with gold going to South Africa's Lythe Pilay in 44.84. Lauren Roy advanced to the semi-finals of the women's 200m after finishing second in her heat in 23.57. Meanwhile, Sarah Lavin was in action in Eisenstadt, Austria, the Limerick athlete clocking 12.83 (+1.3m/s) to finish third in the women's 100m hurdles, with Poland's Pia Skrzyszowska taking victory in 12.72. Lavin had earlier clocked 12.92 to finish runner-up in the heats.
Extra.ie
2 days ago
- Health
- Extra.ie
Who is Deirdre Heenan? The professor tipped for FF Áras bid
The race for who will be Fianna Fáil's presidential candidate remains open but party members believe that Derry-based academic Deirdre Heenan is ticking a lot of the right boxes. It is reported that Deirdre is An Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micháel Martin's preferred choice of candidate due to her political likeness to Mary McAleese. has taken an in-depth look at the Ulster University professor and the background that has led her to potentially run for Áras an Uachtaráin. Deirdre Heenan with President Michael D Higgins in 2018. Pic: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland Born in Annaclone, Co Down, Deirdre was educated at Banbridge Academy and Ulster University. Now, she lives in Derry with her husband and three sons. Deirdre is a former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University and a former Provost of its Coleraine and Magee campuses. She is a member of the Institute for Research in Social Sciences and has published widely on healthcare, education policy, social care and devolution. In 2001, Deirdre was the recipient of a Distinguished Teaching Award and this was followed by a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy in 2006. Professor Deirdre Heenan with former US president Bill Clinton At the University of Ulster in 2010. Pic: Paul Faith –Two years later, she secured an ESRC fellowship and spent nine months as policy adviser in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. In 2011, she was appointed by the health minister to join a five strong panel of experts to oversee a radical review of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland and the following year, she was appointed to the Council of State by President Michael D Higgins. Professor Deirdre Heehan posing for a selfie with former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during a visit to Lifford Bridge in 2018. Pic: Liam McBurney – Pool/Getty Images Deirdre is described by Ulster University as a 'distinguished researcher, author and broadcaster'. Many Fianna Fáil sources told that they first came across the 58-year-old when she spoke at a party event in UCD to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. They said: 'I wasn't surprised to hear her name as she ticks a lot of Mary McAleese boxes. She was very impressive when she spoke at the Good Friday event and would fit the mould of what Micheál (Martin) would want. 'She was very impressive, and really challenging about the Good Friday Agreement. She spoke about how too many people sit back and applaud the GFA, when, in her view, it is not yet complete, and that we can't afford to rest on our laurels.'
Irish Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Post
Ulster University's Deirdre Heenan emerges as frontrunner for Fianna Fáil in presidential election
DEIRDRE Heenan, a senior academic at Ulster University, is widely reported to be in the final stages of negotiations to run as Fianna Fáil's candidate in the upcoming Irish presidential election. According to a report in the Irish Independent, Heenan is considered the preferred choice of Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, though she has declined to confirm or deny the speculation. A native of County Down and currently based in Derry, Heenan previously served as Provost and Dean of Academic Development at Ulster University's Magee campus. Her public service credentials include a nine-month term in 2008 as a policy adviser in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland. In 2011, she was appointed to a five-member panel by the Northern Ireland health minister to lead a major review of health and social care services. The following year, she was named to the Irish President's Council of State as one of seven personal nominees selected by President Michael D. Higgins. In addition to her academic and advisory roles, Heenan is currently a director of ILEX, the Derry urban regeneration company, and serves as a school governor at two Derry schools, Foyle College and St. Patrick's Pennyburn. She resides in Derry with her husband and three sons. Fianna Fáil has not fielded a presidential candidate since 1997, when Mary McAleese was elected. While several other figures have been linked to a potential Fianna Fáil nomination, including Mary Hanafin, Billy Kelleher, and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Heenan is reportedly the frontrunner if the party proceeds with a candidate. The presidential election is expected to take place in late October, with President Michael D. Higgins' second term concluding on November 11. The campaign is likely to intensify in the autumn, with other candidates already stepping forward. Independent TD Catherine Connolly has announced her candidacy and secured backing from multiple left-leaning TDs, including the Social Democrats and People Before Profit. Fine Gael is expected to nominate former MEP Mairead McGuinness, though formal ratification will not occur until early September. Sinn Féin has yet to declare its intentions but has several possible contenders, including Michelle O'Neill, Mary Lou McDonald, and John Finucane. The Labour Party is currently holding a two-week consultation period to decide whether to support Connolly or nominate its own candidate. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has stated his party is exploring alternative voices for the contest and has been in contact with potential nominees. Other names being floated include businessman Declan Ganley, 2018 presidential candidate Peter Casey, and former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood. The final list of candidates is expected to come in the coming weeks as parties and independents finalise their nominations.
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Thousands attend opening parade for the annual Foyle Cup tournament
Almost 1,000 teams from across the world are set to compete in 3,600 matches, all aiming to be crowned champions in their respective age groups ranging from U-8 to U-18, with ladies teams once again taking part from U-9 upwards. As part of the cup around 20,000 players will take part. Crowds gathered for the tournament's annual parade which took place through Londonderry. Leaving the Magee campus of Ulster University shortly after 10am, teams were led by Lislaird Pipe Band and marched around Derry's city centre before concluding at Guildhall Square. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today show, tournament organiser Philip Devlin said the event 'does the heart good'. "The work that goes on in the background is immense,' he told the programme. Watch: Flash Flooding hits parts of Northern Ireland "We used to have it on the Tuesday but moved it to Monday as we felt it really gears the kids up for the week ahead. "If you live close to a pitch there will be a game there, there are games everywhere.' Matches are set to take place at a number of venues across counties Derry, Donegal and Tyrone. The tournament will be running until Saturday and organisers have advised anyone attending matches to plan ahead for attending the fixtures due to the likely traffic disruption.
