Anne Ebbs
{{Short description|Irish Paralympian in table tennis (1940–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox table tennis player
| name = Anne Ebbs
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| birth_date = {{Birth date text|1940}}
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| death_date = {{Death date and given age|df=y|2024|2|24|83–84}}
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{{MedalSport | Women's table tennis}}
{{MedalCountry | {{IRL}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|Paralympic Games}}
{{MedalSilver| 1972 Heidelberg | Teams 2}}
{{MedalSilver| 1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville | Teams 2}}
{{MedalBronze| 1980 Arnhem | Teams 2}}
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Anne Ebbs (née Sinnott; 1940 – 24 February 2024) was an Irish Paralympic table tennis medallist. Outside of her table tennis career, Ebbs founded the Paralympic Council of Ireland in 1987 and was the organization's secretary general until 2008. Ebbs was awarded the Paralympic Order in 2010.
Early life and education
When Ebbs was one year old, she was diagnosed with poliomyelitis. She began her education in Donore, County Meath and completed a course at a Dún Laoghaire rehabilitation hospital in 1962.{{cite book|last1=Marsden |first1=Joanna |title=Extraordinary Lives Celebrating 50 years of the Irish Wheelchair Association |date=2010|publisher=Irish Wheelchair Association|isbn=9780956748003|page=76}}
Career
After completing her education, Ebbs started her career as a telephone clerk in 1963 and joined the Irish Wheelchair Association in the 1960s as a Sports Committee member. In the 1970s, Ebbs worked as a fundraising administrator and a driving school for the IWA. In 1986, she became an administrator in sports and later became the IWA's Sports Director.{{sfn|Marsden|2010|p=76-78}}
The following year, Ebbs created the Paralympic Council of Ireland in 1987. For the Paralympic Council of Ireland, she was the secretary general from 1987 to 2008.{{cite web|title=Anne Ebbs Honoured with Paralympic Order |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/anne-ebbs-honoured-paralympic-order |website=Paralympic.org|accessdate=1 September 2017}} Ebbs was also selected onto the board of the Irish Institute of Sport in 2007{{cite news|last1=O'Connor |first1=Colm |title=Coughlan, Wood on elite sport body |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/other-sports/coughlan-wood-on-elite-sport-body-29437.html|accessdate=29 September 2017|work=Irish Examiner|date=3 April 2007}} and was elected to Paralympics Ireland's board of directors as a lifelong honorable member in 2013.{{cite web|last1=Mackay|first1=Duncan |title=Gradwell re-elected President of Paralympics Ireland |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1014743/gradwell-re-elected-president-of-paralympics-ireland|website=Inside the games|date=19 June 2013 |accessdate=19 September 2017}} Alternatively, Ebbs was Ireland's head of mission at the 1988 Summer Paralympics{{cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Noel |title=All walks of life keep the sporting flame alight|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/all-walks-of-life-keep-the-sporting-flame-alight-196143.html|accessdate=15 September 2017|work=Irish Examiner|date=4 June 2012}} and assistant head of mission at the 1996 Summer Paralympics.{{cite news|title=10 medal haul from special Olympics |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/10-medal-haul-from-special-olympics-1.80266|accessdate=15 September 2017|work=Irish Times|date=26 August 1996}}
Outside of her work in sports development, Ebbs participated in multiple Paralympic Games for Ireland from 1972 to 1984. During her Paralympic career, she won a silver medal for table tennis in 1972 and 1984 and bronze in 1980.{{cite web|title=Paralympian's Oliver Murphy and Anne Ebbs to be honoured at More Than Sport ball|url=http://www.paralympics.ie/news/2016/7/1/paralympians-oliver-murphy-and-anne-ebbs-to-be-honoured-at-more-than-sport-ball|website=paralympics.ie|accessdate=1 September 2017|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101142433/https://www.paralympics.ie/news/2016/7/1/paralympians-oliver-murphy-and-anne-ebbs-to-be-honoured-at-more-than-sport-ball|url-status=dead}}
Apart from the Paralympics, Ebbs was named a member of the 2012 Summer Olympics assembling team in 2006.{{cite web|title=Pat Hickey appointed to London 2012 Olympics Task Force|url=http://www.olympics.ie/news/3145-pat-hickey-appointed-to-london-2012-olympics-task-force.html|website=Olympic Council of Ireland|accessdate=15 September 2017|archive-date=13 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713134946/http://www.olympics.ie/news/3145-pat-hickey-appointed-to-london-2012-olympics-task-force.html|url-status=dead}}
Personal life and death
Ebbs was married to table tennis player Tony Ebbs in 1982 and remained married until his death in 1984.{{sfn|Marsden|2010|p=79}} Anne Ebbs died in February 2024.[https://www.paralympic.org/news/ipc-saddened-passing-anne-ebbs IPC saddened by the passing of Anne Ebbs]
Awards and honours
In 2008, Ebbs was honoured with the Paralympic Order and received the Irish Paralympic Order in 2012.{{cite news|title=Ann Ebbs honoured |url=http://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/sport/other-sports/ann-ebbs-honoured-28972571.html|accessdate=1 September 2017|work=Drogheda Independent|date=19 December 2012}} The same year, Ebbs was a torchbearer for the 2012 Summer Olympics.{{cite news|title=Irish eyes are smiling south of the border|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-press-and-journal-inverness/20120606/282084863865177|accessdate=1 September 2017|work=The Press and Journal (Scotland)|date=6 June 2012}} Ebbs has also been awarded the Trailblazers Award by Women's Executive Network in 2013 {{cite web|title=Maeve Binchy gets posthumous award as one of Ireland's most powerful women |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/maeve-binchy-powerful-women-949747-Jun2013/|website=thejournal.ie |accessdate=1 September 2017|date=13 June 2013}} and honoured by Paralympics Ireland at the More Than Sports event in 2016.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ebbs, Anne}}
Category:Paralympic medalists in table tennis
Category:Paralympic silver medalists for Ireland
Category:Paralympic bronze medalists for Ireland
Category:Table tennis players at the 1972 Summer Paralympics
Category:Table tennis players at the 1980 Summer Paralympics
Category:Table tennis players at the 1984 Summer Paralympics
Category:Recipients of the Paralympic Order
Category:Female table tennis players
Category:Medalists at the 1972 Summer Paralympics