Patrons
Special Olympics Ireland has embarked on an ambitious four year strategy to expand the opportunities and resources offered by Special Olympics Ireland so that every child and adult with a learning disability on the island of Ireland has the chance, in their own community, through sport to achieve in ways that bring life changing experiences of increased skills, confidence and joy. There are 34,000 people with a learning disability on the island of Ireland, of which only 8,000 currently participate in Special Olympics programmes. By 2007, it is planned that participant numbers will be 16,000. This strategy is being implemented under the umbrella theme of a place for everyone! - a place for athletes, families, volunteers, supporters, sponsors, fundraisers....
“Special
Olympics Ireland has a duty to all people with a learning
disability
on this island to ensure there is a place for them to display their
talents and skills and to follow their hopes and dreams within their
own communities. We are lucky that so many supporters are still with
us; sponsors like Eircom, Bank of Ireland and Toyota Ireland. We are
fortunate also to have a bank of enthusiastic volunteers and
supporters helping us to achieve our goal of doubling athlete
numbers over the next four years. The increased public awareness
generated by the Games, acceptance of people with a learning
disability, will help us get there. I’m delighted to see that Kerry
Stars is thriving, and after only two years in existence, has 35
athletes training and competing in athletics and Football.
Congratulations and well done to Kerry Stars, to all the athletes,
their families, coaches and volunteers.”
Mary Davis Director Special Olympics
The success of the Special Olympics last year united the country in a spirit of volunteerism and respect not seen for many a long day. But do we forget the great event and go back to our old routine when it's all over? Do we gloat in the success and leave it at that?
Thankfully,
thanks to the efforts of Paudie Healy and his
colleagues that will
not be the case. They are committed to creating a better Ireland for
all our people. They are to be commended and supported. It gives me
great pleasure to lend my own personal support and that of the
G.A.A. to this most pressing and desirable of causes. Indeed I have
a group of people in Croke Park looking at how we can contribute
further as an organisation to the great Special Olympian Ideal.
Together we
can make a difference - a better quality of life
for all. In that way we can all be the best we can be. Everybody
deserves that chance. This initiative is an important step in that
road.
Go n-eiri libh.
Sean O'Ceallaigh
Uachtaran C.L.G.
The Special Olympics was a fantastic success in Ireland in the
summer of 2003. It was a great sense of pride that we were able to
welcome athletes from all over the world to Ireland.
We must continue to cater for people with special needs. The Special
Olympics Clubs are a marvellous way to help dev
elop people with
special needs and a great form of integration. I am very honoured to
be a patron of the Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club and greatly
admire the great work that its achieved.
Gillian O'Sullivan
I would just like to say that it is a great honour for me to be a patron to your very special club. I have been involved in the sporting circle virtually all my life and have reaped huge benefits from it, both from a health point of view and the great social outlet it offers. I have made so many friends, both on and off the sporting arena through my involvement in sport.
As a society,
it is imperative that we also give this opportunity to people with
special needs, especially in the Kingdom. The joy, the enthusiasm,
the pride that all the athletes showed in last years Special
Olympics was inspirational to us all. Going forward, I wish the
Kerry Stars Special Olympics
Club the very best of luck. This club is guaranteed to be a
success as they are all winners already.
Yours in
sport,
Seamus Moynihan