A 54-year-old retired postman will represent Ireland at a major European Games for the second time - but this year he will compete with a new kidney.

Harry Ward from Baldoyle, has been enjoying ‘a new lease of life’ since he received a kidney transplant in July of last year. “I feel absolutely brilliant now,” said Harry, who will compete in the European Transplant and Dialysis Games in Germany.

“I was on dialysis for three years and one month. I made sure that the dialysis lived with me rather than me living with the dialysis. I made sure I went on holidays and I took part in sport which I would recommend to anyone.”

Harry will compete in the 5km walk, badminton and bowling at the European Games which will run from Sunday, August 31 until Sunday, September 7 in Wurzburg.

Following his success at the European Games in Hungary in 2006, where he picked up a gold medal in the 3km walk, the father of three should be hopeful of success this year. “I don’t know whether I will get a medal but it is just good to participate. Everybody at the games are in the same position,” he said.

But the most important aspect of his participation at the Games, he maintains, is to highlight the importance of organ donation and promote the idea of healthy living through sport. It is also an opportunity for the athletes to give thanks for the gift of their transplants.

“I am so thankful for my donation. It shows that there is life after transplantation. There was life before transplantation but my life is so much better now,” said Harry, who adds that he can now enjoy foods like chocolate, ham and soup which were restricted while he was on the renal diet during dialysis.

The active Dubliner has been training regularly ahead of the games and is looking forward to the games and meeting with the Irish team and competitors from other countries. His wife Mary will travel with him but the couple will arrive a day later than theIrish team as they will attend the wedding of Harry’s niece the day before they leave for Germany.

Harry’s 26-year-old son Dylan will leave for Australia for a year-long trip just before the games. “It will be a very emotional time in our house,” added Harry, who also has a 24-year-old daughter Leah.

Last year 23 Irish athletes, all of whom had transplants, travelled to Thailand to compete in the World Transplant Games. The team took home an unprecedented 39 medals making it Ireland’s most successful games to date. In 2010 Ireland will have the honour of hosting the 6^th European Transplant and Dialysis Games.

Log onto www.transplantteamireland.com to follow the team’s progress. For Organ Donor Cards freetext the word DONOR to 50050 or visit the Irish Kidney Association website www.ika.ie