TEAM Ireland Special Olympics athletes fly out for winter games

ATHLETES FROM Ireland who are to participate in the Special Olympics World Winter Games at Boise, Idaho, flew out from Dublin airport yesterday.

TEAM Ireland is sponsored by Eircom and has eight athletes, as well as a management team of six, who will be taking part in the Alpine skiing event. They are accompanied by TEAM2009, 40 Special Olympics Ireland volunteers who will work at the Games and support athletes.

One of the largest sporting events in the world this year, the games begin on Friday and continue for a week. Up to 2,500 athletes representing more than 100 countries will take part.

TEAM Ireland’s eight athletes are Ben Purcell from Dalkey in Dublin, Cathal Murphy from Scariff in Clare, Charlie O’Reilly from Sandycove in Dublin, Clara Keoghan from Ballsbridge in Dublin, Katherine Daly, also from Dalkey, Lorraine Whelan from Delgany in Wicklow, Ryan Hill from Richill in Armagh and Rebecca McGonagle from Clontarf.

Irish Special Olympics athlete James Neeson along with police officers Stevie Douglas (PSNI) and Gary Gordon (Garda) are representing Ireland on the Torch Run at the opening ceremony.