COUNTY TEAM ARE OFF TO THE GAMES!
SPECIAL OLYMPIANS from all over County Wexford will set off to Dublin on Thursday morning to take part in this year’s Ireland Games, which runs from June 14 to 17.
Twenty-three athletes, six chaperones and three head coaches from Wexford Special Olympics Sports Club will take part in the games, in many sports including athletics, aquatics/swimming, basketball, bocce, pitch and put, artistic gymnastics, and rhythmic gymnastics.
Most of the sports will be centred around the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, and Morton Stadium. A residential event, the Wexford athletes, who are part of Team Leinster, will be staying in campus accommodation in NUI Maynooth for the four days.
Alongside the competition there will be a Healthy Athlete Village which provides health screenings, health education and resources complimentary to athletes in a fun and welcoming environment. The social aspect of the Games is another vital part of Special Olympics. Many social events including discos, fun games, music sessions and drama add to the whole experience. The athletes will stay with their volunteer chaperones and coaches while family members
will attend the venues to cheer them in in each sport.
The Ireland Games take place every four years and it is a great achievement for the 23 athletes to represent their province, having trained hard all year in their respective sports.
Wexford Special Olympics Club has received huge support from the people of Wexford and they are very grateful for it. The club has a Twitter account, @sowexford, so people can keep up to date with all their events at the games.
The Special Olympics Law Enforce- ment Torch Run Team will travel throughout the four provinces of Ireland from Monday, June 11 and will arrive at the Opening Ceremony in Tallaght Stadium on Thursday evening where The Olympic Flame of Hope will be lit. This ceremony promises to be an exciting event for athletes and coaches, cheered on by crowds of families and supporters in a packed stadium.
The chaperones attending the games are Rosarie McDonald, Mary Barrett, Grace Ferrick, Denise Dowling, Jack Whelan and Mary McKegney.
The head coaches are Michael Murphy (basketball), Peadar Dempsey (pitch and putt), Sinead Sinnott (artistic gymnastics). Also coaching at the gymnastics events are: Marie Baker, Emily McMillan, and John O’Connor.