Mr David Mahedy holding his UL Alumni Award

David (Dave) Mahedy has dedicated his whole life to sport as a coach, mentor, leader and hugely-effective voluntary contributor to sport within the wider community. 

Dave graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education in 1978 from the former Thomond College of Education (TCE was integrated into UL in 1991). As a newly-qualified PE teacher, Dave decided against a return to his home in Dublin and instead embraced ‘Sporting Limerick’ and what he recalls as “an opportune time in the modernising of sport”. Dave’s expertise in the areas of sports coaching, training and management has spanned a variety of sports where over four decades his achievements today include: 

  • Soccer: Limerick United / League of Ireland Champions 1979- 80 / FAI  Cup Winners 1982 / Champions League v  Read Madrid / Cup Winners v AZ Alkmaar / EUFA Cup v Southampton plus Friendlies v Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs. Also, St Patrick’s Athletics: League of Ireland Champions, 1998 - 99, 2001- 02 / Champions League v Glasgow Celtic / League Cup 2001-01. Also, FAI: Junior International Manager 1992-94 
  • Gaelic Games: Limerick Senior Hurling / Munster Champions 1994, 1996 / All Ireland Finalists 1994, 1996 / Senior County Championships with Ballybrown, Patrickswell, UL GAA Clubs / Senior Munster Championships with Ballybrown 1989 
  • Rugby: Munster (1998 - 2008) / Heineken Cup  2006, 2008 / Celtic Leagues  2003, 2005 
  • Golf: Castletroy Golf Club / Munster Senior Club Champions 2007, 2008 

Separately, as full-time Director of Sport at UL, Dave’s professional achievements include the development of UL Sport - Irelands Sports Campus; UL Sport Arena (including Ireland’s first 50m Swimming Pool); North Campus Team Park  (Europe’s biggest Synthetic Pitch Development); UL Adventure Centre in Killaloe; Special Olympics National Games 2010, 2014; High Performance Swim Centre; and upcoming developments: Munster One Centre Training Facility as well as a 25m Diving/Training Pool for UL Sport. 

Married to Kay and with three grown children, one of Dave’s personal highlights was “meeting Sister Maria from Lisnagry in 1979 who needed help in setting up a Special Olympics Club in the school. I  volunteered, got stuck in from the very start and it is still one of my proudest achievements when I see the role of Special Olympics today.”