Gymnastics Ireland recorded a landmark day at the European Gymnastics Congress in Prague on Saturday, 29 November, as three leading Irish figures secured senior roles within the sport’s continental governance structures.
Cork native Mairead Kavanagh was elected President of European Women’s Gymnastics, becoming the first Irish official to hold a position on the influential Women’s Technical Committee. Kavanagh, Director of Community Support and Operations at Gymnastics Ireland, has been involved in the sport throughout her life as a national champion, Irish international and internationally respected judge, officiating at the Olympic Games as well as World and European Championships. She has also played a central role in the growth of Douglas Gymnastics Club, one of the largest clubs in Ireland, alongside a successful career in Irish banking prior to joining Gymnastics Ireland full-time last year.
Gymnastics Ireland CEO Ciaran Gallagher was also elected to the Executive Board of European Gymnastics, recognising his contribution to the sport’s rapid development in Ireland. Gallagher has overseen significant growth in membership—now over 40,000—and the establishment of a high-performance programme that produced Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan. He previously served two full terms on the Board of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, including during Ireland’s record-breaking performance at the Paris 2024 Games.
A third success came with the re-election of Andrew Coulter to the European Trampoline Technical Committee. A former Irish international trampolinist and international judge, Coulter played a key role in Gymnastics Ireland’s modernisation during his tenure on its board and is widely sought after for his expertise in staging gymnastics events both domestically and internationally.
Gymnastics Ireland Chair Shane O’Connor described the outcomes as a milestone moment for the sport.
“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,” said O’Connor. “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.”
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