Portmarnock man given top role at Irish Kidney Association

A NORTHSIDE man, who once boasted members of U2 among his students, has been appointed to a top position at the Irish Kidney Association (IKA).  

Colin Mackenzie, from Portmarnock, is the IKA’s new National Honorary Chairman, replacing John Whelan who completed his two-year term of office.  

Mr Mackenzie, an accomplished musician and keen artist, is married to Patricia. They have two adult children and four grandchildren. 

Colin and Patricia have been active voluntary members of the Irish Kidney Association for two decades. 

They first became involved in 1999 when Patricia, who is also a musician, was diagnosed with kidney failure and she progressed to dialysis which she underwent for eight and a half years before undergoing a kidney transplant in 2007.  

The couple's commitment to the Irish Kidney Association, a registered charity organisation which advocates for kidney patients and promotes the organ donor card, was soon rewarded as Mr Mackenzie was elected secretary of its North Dublin branch in 2002. 

In 2006 he was elected branch chairperson and in 2014 he was elected to the board of directors and became National Honorary Treasurer in 2017. 

Mr Mackenzie holds a B.Mus degree from Trinity College Dublin and studied music with UCD and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and holds diplomas from Trinity College and the London College of Music.

The retired assistant principal ran a music department at Mount Temple Secondary School  and can boast members of U2 among his students, as well as musician Damien Dempsey and Whitbread Book Prize author and poet, the late Christopher Nolan, who wrote about Colin in his award-winning book, 'Under the Eye of the Clock'. 

Mr Mackenzie is also the author of three school textbooks and he prepared students for Junior and Leaving Cert music examinations and other musical activities, including shows which he co-produced with his wife Patricia such as ‘Mikado’, ‘Pirates of Penzance’, ‘Oklahoma’, ‘South Pacific’ and ‘The Beggar's Opera’.

Speaking after his appointment, Mr Mackenzie said that an important objective was the promotion of organ donation for transplantation. 

“I look forward to working towards these goals for the next two years," he added.