Dave Malone

Head Coach

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• Head coach NAC swim club 2004 - present
• High Performance Director  of Paralympics Ireland
• Former Paralympic athlete and 4 time Paralympian, achieving  11 International podiums from 1994-2004,
•  3 Paralympic medals at consecutive /games Atlanta 96 silver, Sydney 2000 Gold and Athens 2004 silver, along with 3 world championship medals including Gold in 1998 and former world record holder in 50,100 and 200m S8 backstroke. 
• Level 3 Swim Ireland licensed swim coach 
• Team Lead of the 2012 Para swim team at London 2012, winning 2 Gold medals.

Hayley Burke

Coach

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• Level 3 qualified coach. 
• Assistant coach for Irish Paralympic Team for London Paralympic Games 2012, World Para Swimming Championships 2013 & European Para Swimming Championships 2014. 
• Team Leader of Paralympic Swim Team since 2015. 
• Lead Leinster Coach for Ulster Age Groups in 2017. 
• Swam competitively until 2010.
• Part of relay which held Irish Senior Women's relay record in 4x50m Medley & 4x100m Medley short course 2009.
• Competed at 2003 European Youth Olympics; finalist in 100m & 200m Backstroke.   
• National Champion.
• Irish Age Group Champion. 
• Leinster Champion. 
• Currently undertaking Swim Ireland Tutor Training. 

Paolo Di Paola

Coach

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·        Lead coach of the Leinster team at British Age Group 2011.

·        Level 3 Swim Ireland licensed swim coach.

·        Swim Ireland/Coaching Ireland licensed tutor and assessor delivering Level 1 and Level 2 Teaching and Coaching courses.

·        Level 4 American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) qualified coach.

·        Qualified coach with FIN (Italian Swimming NGB).

·        Swim Ireland/Sport Ireland Safeguarding Children Tutor.

·        Swam competitively and as a Master until 2006.

·        Volunteer swimming coach with Paralympics Ireland Development Squad since 2016.

·        Performance Manager of the Swim Ireland National Youth Squad 2012-2013.

·        Lead coach of the Leinster swimming team at British Age Group 2011.

·        Coach with Aer Lingus SC 2007-2019.

·        Lead coach of the Age Group squad in Aer Lingus SC 2009-2013.

·        Head coach of the Masters squad at CSA (Rome, Italy) 1994-2004.

·        Coach and Co-ordinator of the Irish Masters Development Squad (National) 2014-2015.

Shauna McGinley

Coach

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• BSc with Education majoring in Maths and Biology.
• Currently undergoing a Professional Masters of Education in Maynooth University, graduating September 2019.
• Level 2 qualified SI Swimming Coach.
• Swim Ireland Women in Sport Coaching Mentor.
• Qualified Pool Lifeguard with the IWS. Certified in Emergency First Aid.
• Have been a member of the NAC swim club since its opening in 2004 and swam competitively within the club until 2013.
• National Standard Swimmer and Represented Leinster.
• Coach with the NAC swim Club since 2012.
• Head Coach of the Maynooth University Aquatics Club.
• Volunteer Assistant Coach with the Irish Paralympic Team for training camp weekends.
• Assistant Coach for the Leinster Team at the Interprovincial Championships 2017.

Niamh Buffini

S&C Lead Coach

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Strength & Conditioning Coach

Niamh took over as Lead Strength and Conditioning coach of the NAC Swim Club Gym in October 2018 and brings a wealth of experience with her.

Coaching Interests include Bio-mechanics of movement, fundamental movement, strength training and understanding demands of different sports.

Niamh commenced as an athlete in the sport of Olympic style of Taekwondo at the age of 12. Niamh currently holds a 5th Dan Kukkiwon Blackbelt and has been coachng in the sport at both national and international level for over 10 years. Niamh has also represented Club & Country at European Poomsae  Championships. World Poomsae Championships, Universiade 2009 Belgrade, Universiade 2011 Shenzhen & World University Taekwondo Championships.

Niamh recieved a citation from Kukkiwon [Highest Taekwondo Authority] for her contribution to Taekwondo whilst attending a Kukkiwon Seminar.

In a coaching capacity, Niamh has attended European Chamionships & World Championships and has extensive experience at Elite level right down to grass roots development.

Having completed an honours degree in sports science she took a huge interest in the biochemical movement and exercise science during her studies and it was from here she continued on her studies into Strength and Conditioning. Niamh has worked in an S&C capacity with inter county level GAA, Rugby and Olympic level Taekwondo athletes and has now taken a keen interest in the sport of swimming, particularly youth swimming.

Niamh joined Paralympics Ireland in the summer of 2016 as the new Performance Operations Manager. She has also had the opportunity to work with some of the leading Irish para athletes in an S&C capacity.