Cork's Mairead Kavanagh elected president of women's European Gymnastics

It was a great day for Gymnastics Ireland at the European Gymnastics Congress in Prague on Saturday with Cork woman Mairead Kavanagh being elected President of European Women's Gymnastics. 

This is the first time that an Irish official has held the position on the influential Women's Technical Committee.

Gymnastics Ireland's Chief Executive Ciaran Gallagher, who has done so much to develop the sport of gymnastics in Ireland over the past decade, saw his major contribution to the sport being recognised when he secured a place on the executive board that is responsible for all gymnastics in Europe. 

A great day was completed when former international trampolinist Andrew Coulter was re-elected to secure a position on the European Trampoline Technical Committee.

Mairead Kavanagh, who is Director of Community Support and Operations at Gymnastics Ireland, and as such part of their leadership team, took up her full time position there last year. 

She has been involved in the sport of gymnastics all her life. 

A former national champion and Irish international, she has had an even more distinguished career as a judge where she has officiated at Olympic Games, World and European Championships.

Kavanagh has been involved with Douglas Gymnastics Club all her gymnastics life both as a competitor, and an administrator where she has been heavily involved in the development of that club into one of the largest gymnastics clubs in Ireland. 

Before taking up her full time position in gymnastics she had a highly successful career in Irish Banking.

Ciaran Gallagher, who is the CEO of Gymnastics Ireland is recognised as being the driving force that has seen gymnastics grow into a major sport in Ireland. 

Under his leadership the sport has grown exponentially, today it has over 40,000 members and has a highly regarded High Performance programme which produced Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan. 

Ciaran was a Board Member of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, serving max terms, which culminated with Ireland's most successful Olympics last year in Paris. He is highly regarded throughout the gymnastics community worldwide.

Andrew is a former international trampolinist and an international judge. 

He was a member of the board of Gymnastics Ireland, again serving max terms, during a critical period of modernisation and restructure. 

Today, he is much sought after in the support and staging of gymnastics events not alone in Ireland but internationally.

Speaking of the appointments Gymnastics Ireland Chair Shane O'Connor said the following.

"A historic result for Ireland and Mairead as the new President of the Women's Technical Committee. 

"Also fantastic to have Andrew and Ciaran re-elected to their respective positions. 

"It's a fantastic endorsement of their abilities and great recognition for Gymnastics Ireland as an organisation. 

"It is another landmark on the journey that has seen our sport go from strength to strength. 

"The appointments are all fully deserved and I have no doubt that Mairead, Ciaran and Andrew will play major roles in the development of the sport across Europe. 

"The appointments are a great honour not alone for gymnastics in Ireland but for all sport in Ireland."