From AIL rugby to Dublin Marathon

After a distinguished sporting career in high-level rugby and Gaelic football, Fran Cooney never imagined that the routine painkillers he relied on to push through injuries were masking a life-altering condition.

Now, the 43-year-old father of four from Rathfarnham is preparing to run his third Irish Life Dublin Marathon this coming Sunday, turning his diagnosis of Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) into an urgent campaign: raising vital funds for the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) and challenging active men to get their kidneys checked.

Fran’s athletic resume spans almost four decades.

He picked up his first rugby ball at Terenure RFC at age five, went on to play competitive All-Ireland League (AIL) rugby with DLSP, had a stint with Wicklow, and finished his senior rugby career back at Terenure as part of an All-Ireland winning team in his early 30s.

He then transitioned into GAA with Ballyboden St. Enda’s, endurance triathlons, and adventure racing.

Throughout that career, injuries were routine and so was his response.

Like countless players across the country, Fran took anti-inflammatory painkillers to manage pain, strap up joints, and stay on the pitch.

The wake-up call came three years ago.

Following a Gaelic football match, Fran woke up in excruciating agony, unable to put weight on his ankle.

Initially dismissed as another sports injury, recurring bouts of severe pain led to tests at the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry, revealing high uric acid and gout.

Subsequent renal investigations at St James’s Hospital under consultant nephrologist Prof. Claire Kennedy confirmed Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease is known as a “silent disease” because it often progresses with zero symptoms until significant, irreversible damage has occurred.

Long-term, repeated use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and diclofenac can pose serious risks to kidney function.

“My approach for twenty years was simple: take the painkillers, manage the swelling, and get back playing,” said Fran. “I was marathon-fit and playing competitive ball, so

I assumed I was healthy.

“Finding out I had Stage 3 chronic kidney disease was a massive shock.

“You can look fit on the outside while your organs are taking silent damage on the inside.”

Fran with his wife and children

Since his diagnosis, Fran has overhauled his diet, reduced alcohol, and prioritised long-term health over short-term athletic bravado.

Running his third Dublin Marathon is both a personal milestone and a platform to target a demographic that notoriously avoids the doctor.

“Lads in sports clubs will push through broken fingers and torn ligaments, but they won’t go for a routine health check,” Fran added.

“A simple, inexpensive blood and urine test at your GP can catch kidney damage before it’s too late.

“If you are constantly relying on anti-inflammatories to stay on the pitch, stop masking the symptoms and get your kidney function checked.”

Fran has set a fundraising target of €2,500 for the Irish Kidney Association to support patients and families living with kidney disease.

To support Fran Cooney’s Dublin Marathon challenge, donate directly via his official fundraising page: https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/pages/FC99374497