Kieran Behan is an Irish artistic gymnast. He is the first ever Irish gymnast to qualify for the Olympics. Front Row are very proud to be representing Kieran in his quest for sponsorship to achieve his 2012 Olympic dream.
Kieran’s speciality is the Floor. Floor Exercises are executed on a 12 x 12m mat with a 1-metre safety border around it. It is placed on a special wooden underlay, which is necessary for the athletes’ take-offs and landings. Athletes have 70 seconds to execute an exercise that includes somersaults, strength and balance exercises.
Kieran is well used to adversity and always had his eye on success. At the age of 10, a benign tumour was found in his leg and complications from the surgical operation to remove the tumour left him in a wheelchair. 15 months later, defying the odds, he returned to his gymnastics training. Not long after his return, he fell off the high bar during a training session and suffered a head injury which resulted in a brain injury and damage to his inner ear affecting his balance and co-ordination skills. He was once again confined to a wheelchair, and had to relearn simple skills to sit up, move his head. The injuries left him unable to train for 3 years, and doctors told him they did not expect him to be able to walk again, never mind be able to do gymnastics. Despite these setbacks, Kieran returned to gymnastics and gained several awards as a junior gymnast.
Kieran’s achievements to date
- Slovenia World Cup, floor bronze (Ireland’s first ever world medal in gymnastics)
-Â Â Â Croatia World Cup, floor silver
-Â Â Czech Republic World Cup, floor gold
-Â Â Â 2011 World Cup Series Floor Champion
In 2012, he competed in the ‘London Prepares Olympic Test Event’, where he qualified to the Floor Exercise final, finishing in 4th place behind Gold medallists Daniel Purvis and Tomas Gonzalez and Bronze medallist Kristian Thomas, gaining the best execution score of the final. His performance in the London Prepares preliminary competition qualified him to the 2012 Summer Olympics. As a result, he was able to get a grant of €20,000 from the Irish Sports Council. His story, and the fact he is the first Irish gymnast to qualify for the Olympics made him a star overnight, being in demand for media interviews, and appearing on RTE’s Late Late Show.
If your company is interested in sponsoring Kieran to achieve his Olympic dream, please get in touch with Front Row on 021 21 4275500Â or email info@frontrow.ie
Entertain your clients in style.
Avail of our exceptional corporate hospitality opportunity for the Ireland v Scotland 6 Nations match in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday March 10th, 2012. Kick off 5.00pm.
Hospitality Package includes:
• Pre lunch drinks in the D4 Berkeley Hotel, minutes from the Aviva Stadium
• 4 Course silver service lunch with wines
• Profile guest speaker
• Seated category 1 match tickets – Kick off 5.OOpm
• Complimentary match programme
• Post match drinks and finger food in the D4 Berkeley Hotel for 90 minutes after the match followed by a cash bar
Cost €399 per person + Vat
To snap up this excellent packages, simply contact Frankie Sheahan at Front Row on 021 4275500 or email info@frontrow.ie
Aspiring rugby players from Colaiste Craoibhinn school in Fermoy had an exclusive sneak preview today of the prestigious RBS 6 Nations Trophy and Triple Crown courtesy of Ulster Bank, part of RBS, sponsors of the RBS 6 Nations.
Guests of honour were myself Frankie Sheahan and Munster and Ireland legends Alan Quinlan , we chatted about Ireland’s progress with the school kids who displayed an impressive knowledge of rugby.
Principal of Colaiste Craoibhinn, Christy Healy, welcomed the opportunity for pupils to see at first hand the renowned and historic trophies. “It has been a special privilege to host the Triple Crown and the RBS 6 Nations Trophy here today. This has certainly been an inspirational experience as today’s pupils have enjoyed meeting the rugby greats and hearing about their sporting careers. We’ve enjoyed listening to such a great rugby line up discussing Ireland’s form and I’d like to thank Alan Quinlan and Frankie Sheahan for visiting us today. The match against France this weekend will be all the more interesting!â€
Current Irish International, David Wallace had joined myself and Quinlan earlier in the day at a business breakfast hosted by Ulster Bank at the Maryborough Hotel, Cork before we took the trophies onto the Ulster Bank Patrick Street branch, to pose for pictures with staff and customers. I was very tempted to do a runner with the trophy, day dreaming of snuggling up to it in bed tonight!
The RBS 6 Nations features the very top echelons of rugby talent currently playing professionally in the Northern Hemisphere but as rugby fans know, almost every player on the international stage started at a local club. Ulster Bank RugbyForce encourages rugby supporters, their friends and families to give something back to their local community rugby club by volunteering to undertake renovations to clubhouses and grounds. Four lucky clubs (one from each province) will be selected for a very special makeover winning €5,000 of goods and resources to use toward their planned club development during the Ulster Bank RugbyForce weekend in June. 50 other clubs will receive a smaller support of €250 through the programme. Clubs must register for Ulster Bank RugbyForce online at www.ulsterbank.com/rugby by April 13th 2012.
The winning clubs will receive:
•        Goods and resources up to the value of €5,000 to go towards the club’s RugbyForce weekend
•        50 T-shirts for the volunteer workforce
•        Support material including on-line tools
•        Enhanced media support
•        Commemorative Ulster Bank RugbyForce Plaque
•        Terms and conditions apply and can be found at www.ulsterbank.com/rugby
The Increased support pack for the first 25 clubs includes:
•        Goods and resources up to the value of €250 to go towards the club’s RugbyForce weekend
•        20 T-shirts for the volunteer workforce
•        Support material including on-line tools
•        Enhanced media support
•        Commemorative Ulster Bank RugbyForce Plaque
•        All clubs – even those who do not win – can still participate by using the on-line toolkit to help organise an event to improve club facilities and galvanise community support.
So go on, register your club now www.ulsterbank.com/rugby
There has been a lot of media speculation as to whether Brian McLaughlin be retained as Ulster Rugby head coach.
Ulster rugby have responded with a very brief press release:
“In response to media speculation today regarding the Ulster Rugby Head Coaching position, Ulster Rugby confirms that the current coaching contracts are set to finish at the end of the season, and are under review. There will be no further comment at this time.”
Not exactly a lot of information there, but not a very strong denial either.
1. Give your speech before 11.00pm.
Speakers need to be energetic and the audience need energy to listen to you. Speaking after 11.00pm will result in a tired and apathetic audience.
2. Keep it brief. There is nothing worse than an a celebrity after dinner speaker droning on and losing the audiences interest. The audience can only concentrate for so long, especially after a heavy dinner and they have been sitting down for a long time. It is far better to leave them wanting more.
3. Don’t have a set speech.
Be able to adapt your speech to your audience, speaking to Irish Country Womens association will require a far different type of speech than the members of the Dublin Chamber of commerce will require. Watch your audience gauge how they react and tailor your speech accordingly.
4. Choose your jokes carefully.
If you are speaking to a room full of doctors, don’t make doctors jokes, you might not have heard them before but they will have.
5. Connect with your audience through emotion.
The best speeches are like a good play, there is laughter and there is tears, you need to touch your audience emotionally and develop a connection. This is what they will remember. Good speeches have humour, content and humanity.
The ERC have just confirmed that Munster Rugby will play Ulster in the Quarter Final of the Heineken Cup in Thomond Park on Sunday, 8th April. Kick off is at 1.45pm.
I doubt tickets will be on public sale for this sought after match. Your best bet will be through the various Munster Rugby Clubs and the Munster Rugby Supporters Club.
Heineken Cup 201 Quarter Final Kick off times and venues:
Sat, 7th April 2012
Edinburgh Rugby v Toulouse, Murrayfield,, Kick Off: 15.00
Leinster Rugby v Cardiff Blues, Aviva Stadium Kick Off: 17.45
Sun, 8th April 2012
Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby, Thomond Park, Kick Off: 13.45
Saracens v ASM Clermont Auvergne, Vicarage Road, Kick Off: 16.30
There are so many permutations as to who will meet each other in the Heineken Cup Quarter Finals. The following are my predictions. They are based on analysis of the teams performance to date and a little dose of  gut instinct!
Home      Away
Leinster V Ulster – Leinster 1st on 25 points. Ulster 2nd best runner up on 20 points. Toulouse V Edinburgh-Toulouse 2nd-22 points. Edinburgh 7th,best runner up 21 pts. Saracens V Clermont – Saracens 3rd – 22 points. Clermont 6th, 20 points. Cardiff V Munster – Cardiff 4th 22 points. Munster 5th 21 points.
Peter O’Mahony arguably the best Heineken Cup player in the pool stages (receiving 2 man of the match awards) has been omitted from both squads and has to be happy with training against the national team. Former Munster/Ireland forward Alan Quinlan said recently on Sky Sports that Peter would be close to getting his first cap.
Declan Kidney today announced the two Irish squads ahead of the 2012 RBS 6 Nations and the O2 Ireland Wolfhounds game against England Saxons. 24 players were named in the Ireland senior squad, with six additional players. The 22-man O2 Ireland Wolfhounds squad includes a few uncapped players as well as full internationals. The Ireland squad, from which the team to play Wales will be selected, will be announced on Monday, January 30 after the Wolfhounds game against the England Saxons.
Declan Kidney, Ireland head coach stated “The Wolfhounds game gives myself and the other coaches one final chance to give games to players to see possible options before we settle on our match day 22 for the opening game of the Championship.”
“It also gives us the opportunity to have a closer look in training at some of the younger players, rather than bringing in more experienced players, who are very much still in the frame for selection.
“There have been some strong performances by players with the provinces going really well. It always gives the squad a good boost when we have teams with players playing well in Europe before we step back up into the international scene.”
Commentating on the start of the RBS 6 Nations, Kidney added: “The tournament begins what is big year for us, with a three Test tour to New Zealand to come in June and ranking points all important for the Rugby World Cup in 2015, but the Six Nations always stands out as high point.”
IRELAND Training Squad (2012 RBS 6 Nations):
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), leoTom Court (Malone/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Shane Jennings (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
Additional Players
-Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Tiernan O’Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht) *
Paddy McAllister (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*
Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
O2 IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS Squad (v England Saxons):
Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Chris Henry (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
Ronan Loughney (Buccaneers/Connacht) *
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)
Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
Eoin O’Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster) *
Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster) *
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)
Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht) *
The Left Bank in Kilkenny will host a Guinness Area 22 supporter’s event on Thursday, 19th January, ahead of the final round of European Cup group games as Munster head to Northampton, while Leinster take on Montpellier at the RDS.
With places for the knockout stages still to be decided both provinces will be hoping to hold onto strong positions in their respective pools and claim the luxury of a home draw in the next round.
Host on the night, Matt Cooper, will be joined by ex-Munster legend and recently retired back row Alan Quinlan, as he faces up to an old rival, former Leinster and Ireland hooker Shane Byrne. While ex Ireland and USA team manager Eddie O’Sullivan and player-turned-pundit Neil Francis will also appear on the panel to join in the big debate.
The first half hour of the event, from 6.30pm to 7pm, will be broadcast live on the Last Word on Today FM, and the entire event will be streamed live on www.Facebook.com/GuinnessRugbyIreland and www.todayfm.com .
With the London Olympics 2012Â just around the corner, Irelands Olympic hopes are pinned on Katie Taylor for gold in Womens Lightweight boxing.
The Olympics start on the 27th of July 2012 in London and run for 2 weeks. Ireland’s Top Ten Olympic hopefuls:
1.Katie Taylor (Women’s Lightweight Boxing) Serious Gold Medal Contender
2.Paddy Barnes (Men’s Light Flyweight Boxing) Gold Medal Contender
3.Grainne Murphy (Swimming-800m Freestyle/400m Free/400m I.M.) Serious Medal Contender, best chance in 800m Freestyle
4.Nicolas Roche (Cycling)
5.Derval O’Rourke (Atletics)
6.Robert Heffernan (Athletics- 20km/50km Walk) Great Medal Prospect in both events, best chance in 50km Walk
7.Analise Murphy (Sailing-Laser Radial Class), very young sailor, currently ranking in the worlds top ten Laser sailors,
8.Peter O’Leary & David Burrows (Sailing-Star Class) Great Medal Prospect
9.Equestrian- Individual Showjumping. We have a number of world class contenders with Billy Twomey, Cian O’Connor and Jessica Kürten.
10.David Gillick, (Athletics-400 metres)
Book an Olympic speaker for your event.
Front Row specializes in booking past and present inspirational athletes for speaking engagements, product endorsements, personal appearances and voiceovers. Lord Sebastian Coe, keynote speaker and head of the winning London 2012 Olympic bids features amongst many other Olympic speakers such as Sir Steven Redgrave, Dame Kelly Holmes, Roger Black and Duncan Goodhew can be sourced by us for your upcoming event. We can also source a range of Irish Olympians such as boxer Michael Carruth, Sonia O’Sullivan and John Treacy Silver medal winning athletes.
Kieran Behan is an Irish artistic gymnast. He is the first ever Irish gymnast to qualify for the Olympics. Front Row are very proud to be representing Kieran in his quest for sponsorship to achieve his 2012 Olympic dream.
