Night Of Celebration As Special Olympians
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Offaly Special Olympians pictured in the Bridge House with supporters and representatives of Offaly County Council and Tullamore Town Council.
MEMBERS of the St Colmcille's Pipe Band were out in force to lead the heroes of the Special Olympics through the streets of Tullamore last Tuesday evening.
Family, friends and a group of supporters joined with medal winners Katie Troy, Patrick Moore and Brendan McDermott as they marched from the GAA centre on Arden Road to the Bridge House.
Katie won gold and sliver medals for swimming, Pat took gold in soccer while Brendan won two bronze medals in bowling. It was a great achievement for the three who had trained so hard for the event in Limerick.
President of the Tullamore Special Olympics Club Ann Starling said she was highly honoured to be part of the group.
'You are three very special people and I am so so proud of you. You have done tremendous work over the past number of years,' she said.
The Special Olympics Club in Tullamore was set up five years ago with 43 members and has now spread all over Offaly and even boasts four members from Kinnegad.
Ann Starling said: 'If we didn't have the volunteers we wouldn't have a club. Everything I get I get for nothing,' she added. Ann thanked all the volunteers, the families of the Special Olympians, those who had helped in fund-raising and especially the Tullamore Lions
Club. 'They have given us huge support and are the main sponsors of our track suits'.
She also thanked Sgt Graham Kavanagh, Saint Colmcille's pipe band. 'They came up trumps', she said. She also thanked Offaly hurling father and son duo, Joe and Shane Dooley and Leslie Francis, manager of the Special Olympics soccer team. She also paid tribute to the Bridge House for hosting the night which included food and a disco.
Chairwoman of Tullamore Town Council, Councillor Molly Buckley said she was delighted and very proud to be there on the night to join in the celebrations. She paid tribute to Ann Starling. 'She is fantastic, when she decides to do something she does it well, you are absolutely wonderful,' she added. 'But it is not just her she has a huge team and with her encouragement they work very hard with her. You are all winners,' Councillor Buckley concluded.
Tullamore Town Manager, Declan Kirrane, said he wanted to join in the congratulations, 'as someone who has never won a medal in my life I am very jealous.'
He stressed that one of the key elements of Offaly Sports Partnership is to increase sports with people with disabilities 'particularly when Tullamore has such great sports facilities.' Leslie Francis said he had spent four days living with the athletes in Limerick and described it as one of the best experiences of his life.
Gold and silver medal winner Katie Troy also thanked everyone and said she had a great week in Limerick, 'I even got my photo taken with Paul O'Connell,' she outlined.
Aidan O'Beirne, PRO, added his congratulations and thanked everyone for their support. 'What Leslie and Ann have been doing for years is hugely admirable in these days of cynicism in sport. They say it is not the winning but the taking part that matters but only in the Special Olympics is that true'.
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