Danny McDaid, who sits on the Diabetes Ireland Board of Directors, was presented with the Freedom of Donegal Award on Monday night.

Danny, better known as a marathon runner who competed in the Olympic Games in 1972 and 1976, was presented with the award on Monday evening in the County House in Lifford.

A retired postman, Danny is a World Cross Country silver medalist and is a four-time National Marathon Champion. His international career began in 1969 and lasted until 1981. In that 12-year period, spanning three decades, Danny ran 9 World Cross Country Championships, two European Marathons and two Olympic Games – 1972 in Munich and 1976 in Montreal. He was Donegal’s last Olympian before Chloe Magee and Philip Deignan competed at Beijing in 2008.

Congratulating him on his award, Diabetes Ireland CEO, said “Danny has being a volunteer with Diabetes Ireland for many many years. He has done trojan work in advocating for improvements in local diabetes services and in supporting the local diabetes community in Donegal and I am delighted he has got this recognition for his sporting and charitable endeavours”.

Danny is the ninth recipient of the award and joins other recipients of the Freedom of County Donegal including Seamus Coleman, Anthony Molloy, Phil Coulter, Shay Given, Patsy McGonagle, Daniel O’Donnell, Packie Bonner and the 28th Infantry Battalion.