The Special Olympics Gameshosted in Limerick last week have been hailed the best ever after four very successful days of sporting events.
A total of 35 athletes from County Kilkenny took part in the four day residential games held from June 9 - 13 which included events such as athletics, aquatics, bocce, bowling, golf, and motor activity training.
There was a total of 1,900 athletes from all over Ireland participating in the sports and they were accompanied by 650 official delegates and coaches, 4,000 family members and a team of 3,000 volunteers.
“It was absolutely fantastic to have 372 athletes from Leinster at the 2010 Special Olympics Ireland Games,” said Ann Hurley, regional director for Special Olympics Leinster. “Kilkenny was well represented with 35 athletes from Alacantra House, Caoimhnu House, Kilkenny Special Olympics Club, Leeside Service, SOS, and St Patrick’s School who took part in six sports.
“Congratulations to all the athletes on getting to participate at such a high level. This is the result of a huge amount of hard work and dedication on the part of our athletes as well as support and encouragement from their clubs, services, and schools in the Kilkenny area.”
Speaking at Kilkenny County Council meeting during the week Cllr Betty Manning, whose son Brian won a gold medal for golf at the Special Olympics, paid tribute to all those involved.
“I would like to congratulate all the athletes who took part in the Special Olympics, to the volunteers and professionals who also helped make it a huge success,” she said.
Cllr Manning also expressed her wish that the special Olympics would be held in Carlow/Kilkenny some time in the future.
“While Limerick was a fantastic venue for the games it would be brilliant to see them held in the Carlow/Kilkenny area in the future,” she said.
Mayor Malcolm Noonan also paid tribute to the athletes and congratulated Cllr Manning on her son Brian’s success.
Other medals were won by the following local athletes - Tommy Phelan, Pat Maher, Carmel Bergin, Edward Wallace, John Foley, Joan McBride, Peter Clohosey, Grainne Cuggy, Patrick Coman, Diarmuid Flynn, Geraldine Kinsella, Therese Nolan, Joseph Byrne, Conor Ryan, Gerard Byrne, Tommy Ryan, James Holohan, Frank Dooley, Tommy Tyrrell, Michael Dwyer, Justin O'Gorman, Fergal Bolger, Jimmy Kelly, Mark Leahy, Maureen Lanigan, Michael Lonergan, Catherine O'Rourke, Christy Hurley, Conor Walsh, John Meaney, Sheila Kelly, John Bergin, John Murphy, and Ciara Trait.
More than 3,500 volunteers ensured the games were a huge success and according to the organisers more than 10,000 people attended the eight venues in and around Limerick city during the four days. Kilkenny athletes took home more than 30 medals from the Special Olympics - making this a massive achievement for the county.
