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A DUBLIN PARALYMPIAN footballer whose international caps were stolen from his home has appealed for them to be returned.
Alan O’Hara, 37, from Portrane, Co Dublin, was knocked to the ground when two robbers broke into his apartment in the early hours of last Wednesday.
O’Hara initially thought the intruders escaped empty-handed, but the next morning he discovered his three prized international soccer caps were missing from the mantelpiece.
O’Hara said the caps are from when he represented Ireland in the 2004 Athens Paralympics, the 2008 Beijing Paralympics and the 2006 World Games in Connecticut.
“The Athens cap is my favourite, as that was my best performance,” O’Hara, who is paralysed on his left side since birth, told TheJournal.ie.
I was really proud to represent Ireland in the Paralympics so this has been a bit of a blow. I’m hoping whoever took them will return them. They’re not worth anything to anyone except me.
O’Hara played football at club level for Portrane Athletic and St Ita’s when he was younger, and represented Paralympics Ireland over forty times between 2002 and 2008. His other international caps were in his mother’s house, he said.
News of the robbery, which was first reported by The Northside People, comes just a day after Paralympian John McCarthy’s specially-adapted car was stolen from his driveway in Lucan.
Gardaí retrieved McCarthy’s car today.
O’Hara said he never believed something similar would happen to him.
“You read about things like this happening to other people,” he said.
You never imagine it will happen to you.
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if he gave his own personal opinion he would be classed as a fool and if he doesnt he’s a coward. regardless hes a damned sight better than wreck it o reilly
Leo Varadker had an opinion he didn’t express? Never thought I’d see the day! (And eagerly await replies relating pots and kettles)
Varadkar would gut any one of you with a blunt butter knife if you were stupid enough to stand between him and the cozy, extremely wealthy retirement he is lining up for himself.
- Do you know what Mary Harney the morally vacuous blimp that used to sit in the Health Ministers chair did today while you were all at work and your kids were all in Creche?
She sat there pressing F5 on her internet banking page watching the numbers increase and laughing at us and our stupidity…..
Well considering he is in his 30′s and legislation reforms mean he can’t access his pension until he is 65, that is a bit of an irrelevant point.
Can’t understand why someone would spend so many years studying to be a doctor, only to go into politics. Seems like a complete waste of money, time and a college place to me.
Indian father. Three choices scientist, doctor or lawyer. Maybe a lecturer. Few other professions are acceptable to Indian middle class parents.
But he doesn’t practice, I don’t think he ever has, so he may as well not be.
He’ll earn more with less effort lying to the voting public than he ever would have as a GP which coincidentally also involves duping the public and earning a ridiculous wage for SFA…
Truth is GPs mainly take in cash for doing nothing – they then just refer you to nearest A&E department if there’s any real worry or uncertainty involved.
“A young man ” he’s 3 years older than me and I wouldn’t think of myself as a young man in any stretch of the imagination .
However, given the average age in the Dáil he’s like Junior Infants.
I’ll assume then you are 32.
Considering most people don’t actually start their careers until their mid to late 20′s, once training and education are finally done, i think people in their 30′s are fairly young all in all (this may be my own grasping at straws – like Varadkar, I am 35)
To quote one of the ladies in Sex & The City “oh to be a young girl of 35 again”
Well done Clare Daly for continuing to stand up to these cowards
Our Leo is going the way of the grey haired politician following the party line and afraid to speak out I case Kenny the teacher gets out his stick and gives him 5 across the open palm and knuckles . That will teach ya says Lenny and Leo says ” sorry sir I won’t do it again” . Wait till I tell your mother says kenny … FFS where is this country going !!!!!!
Coward.
F3ck, I agree with something Clare Daly said!! I need a shower.
Damn autocorrect . COWARD
Him has an opinion and will not state it? This guy is been spoken of as a future “leader” of FG? Some leader he will make.
“as a doctor and as a young man”…. do either qualify Leo in a better way than anyone else in this or any matter…am very surprised at a Socialist like Claire been so elitist
Coeatd
To go near abortion or anything to do with it before a general election would be political suicide. The conservative lines of most parties are being engraved in concrete atm. Its a time to worry for liberal ireland as conservative groups get their spoke in. Francis fitzgerald has all ready been gotten to by the immigrant council.
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