Rossie Erin aiming to become ‘England’s Strongest Disabled Women’

< DAN DOONER

A Roscommon woman will be bidding to win the title of ‘England’s Strongest Disabled Woman’ at Fitxpo in Manchester on May 13th and 14th

Erin Harris (28) who hails from Roscommon town and attended Roscommon Community College and Athlone IT before moving to England in 2016, was inspired to enter the competition by threetime World’s Strongest Disabled Man, Mark Tonner.

Speaking to the Roscommon People this week, Erin explained how she was born with a condition called Type 4 Congenital Ulnar Dysplacia.

“I am missing my ulnar bone, half my wrist bones, and two fingers. My bones are also deformed. The best way to describe my arm is that it looks like a T-Rex arm,” she said.

“I didn’t grow up a sporty person at all, quite the opposite actually. But I never let my little arm get in the way of anything I wanted to do”.

Erin’s parents Monica and Paul still live in Roscommon with her three sisters, Mackenzie, Tamzin and Jorja, while aunt Jacqueline McCormack organises the Roscommon Community Challenge each year, and aunt Bernie won a

Letter to the Editor

Healing Mass in Curraghboy

A Healing Mass will take place at Our Lady Star of the Sea Prayer Centre, Curraghboy, Athlone (N37 W704) on Friday, April 21st at 8 pm. The celebrant will be Fr. John Walsh. Confessions will be available from 7 pm and the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet will be recited at 7.30 pm. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Individual Blessings for Healing will take place after Mass. All are most welcome. Contact 0864054489 for more information.

Local heritage-style antiques roadshow in Ballinasloe

Might you have an old black and white photograph of workers or a local location, baton, uniform badge, household decoration, catalogue of the 1922 Agriculture Show, 1923 Mikado Musical Production or Schools Calendar from the Emergency? Any other antiques? Would you be willing to have it photographed and digitally archived as part of reimaging our local heritage? Then Gullane’s Hotel in Ballinasloe on Monday, the 17th of April, at 8.30 pm is the place to be!

A small group of passionate and dedicated volunteers have been meeting since the New Year to attempt to establish a new grouping focused on heritage and history in all its guises in the locality. The ad hoc group ran a small pop up Heritage Hub in Greene’s Store (Society Street) during St Patrick’s Day, featuring a lot of lovely dated and mounted black and white photos of times past from the Gerry Devlin Archive.

The group are keen to stress that the elements they wish this new project to embrace are our people, traditions, architecture, archaeology, fairs, music, sports, industry, crafts and art. On the upcoming night in question, they are encouraging as many as possible to come, but also, for those who may have some unseen black and white photos, artefacts, old books, souvenir programmes, equipment, uniforms, or household items associated with East Galway or South Roscommon, to bring them along for an ‘antiques roadshow’ display. Items will be recorded on the night, with the owner and a small video clip made for broadcasting later.

A number of guest panellists have been invited to share their experiences of building a modern history group, relevant to the needs of a rapidly developing changing town and educational landscape.

‘Doctors shouldn’t be forced to perform abortions’

Ráth Ara, Co. Ros Comáin

Dear Editor,

A recent call for the erosion of freedom of conscience for doctors when it comes to performing abortion is deeply alarming. If a doctor, through their knowledge of medicine and science, knows that ending an unborn human life through abortion is deeply unethical, they should not be forced to be involved in this process against their principles.

The medical profession benefits from people who uphold the courage of their convictions. We want to know that our doctors use their own conscience in all actions they take which impact their patients. Nobody wants a doctor who goes against their judgement and performs actions which they themselves know to be wrong.

It should be no different when it comes to the abortion issue.

Many doctors know that abortion is not health care and results in taking a life rather than saving one. Any effort to undermine their freedom of conscience on this issue must be opposed as a wrong and illiberal move.

Yours sincerely, Siobhán Nic Cathail bronze medal in the 2007 Special Olympics. She has received plenty of encouragement from her family, and husband Jack in particular.

“I moved to England in 2016 when I met my husband Jack at a car show. He also shares a strong passion for the gym and is very supportive of my strongwoman dreams!

“My gym story began in April 2021, as we were coming out of the last lockdown here in the UK. I was ten months away from my wedding and joined the gym as a plus-size girl with the goal of getting as skinny as possible,” Erin said.

“In May of that year, my husband joined the gym and that gave me the confidence to try the weights section. It didn’t take me long to realise that I was pretty strong. Following a polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosis I soon found that it would be harder for me to lose fat so I channeled my energy into lifting heavier weights instead.

“I started thinking about entering some sort of ‘strongman’ competition the following year and then when I attended the Arnolds sports event last September I was inspired by the disabled strongmen taking part”.

Erin started to put herself out there by uploading videos and clips on social media platforms such as TikTok. It wasn’t long be- fore she came to the attention of world-renowned disabled strongman, Mark Tonner, who lost the use of his own right arm while serving in Afghanistan.

“Mark has been coaching me since last November and teaching me all about the life of a strongman, and now I am a GB Disabled Strongman athlete and in less than five weeks I will compete for the title of ‘England’s Strongest Disabled Woman. I will then move on to Britain’s Strongest and hopefully then World’s Strongest!”

Erin’s biggest personal bests include a 175kg deadlift (with a strap to replace her disabled arm), a 155kg squat, and a 37.5kg dumbbell overhead press. Impressive numbers to say the least.

“I’m very humble when it comes to my lifting, but I do want to inspire others, whether it’s to compete in a sport or just in life in general. I really want to inspire others with similar conditions to never hold back on anything,” she said.

Erin will write another chapter in her inspirational story next month in Manchester when she competes against other strong women in events such as 80kg Atlas Stones, squats for reps, and giant dumbbell over head press. You can keep up to date with her training by following her on Instagram and TikTok @erinxharriss.