Green carpet rolled out at Dublin airport as sporting heroes return

THE CRIES of “Ole, Ole, Ole” were well under way as Team Ireland, led by piper Michael Russell, arrived in Dublin airport just after 1.20pm yesterday.

Irish flags were being waved furiously with more worn as scarves. There were green sparkly cowboy hats; green, white and orange inflatable hammers; T-shirts bearing home-made “Well done!” slogans and banner after banner declaring variously: “Well done Caitríona”, “Golden Boy Fergal” and “Congratulations Denise on winning silver!”

About 800 people had come from all over the country to welcome home the 126 athletes and 49 coaches of Team Ireland from the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens.

The team returned with an impressive cache of 107 medals and dozens of place ribbons in 12 sports – aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, bowling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics, kayaking and table-tennis.

Among those waiting were Dennis and Helen O’Leary, who had travelled from Killarney, Co Kerry, to welcome their son “Seve” Michael who had been competing in golf.

“Oh you have no idea how excited we all are,” said Mr O’Leary. “He has been training hard for the past five years. He’s been a great pitch and putt player since he was a young fella and then got into the golf.”

When he arrived, the tall, dark Kerryman of few words, said he had got on “fine” at the games. Asked what his plans were for the next few days, he said: “Sleep and a barbecue.”

Joyce Haughian, from Warrenpoint, Co Down, brought home two silvers and and one gold medal for bowling.

“It was absolutely fantastic, the best experience of my life. There was a lot of training before. I had to get through the regional and the Ireland games and then the World games in Athens,” she said. Asked about the reception at the airport, she said it was “a big, big shock, brilliant”.

Her mother Catherine described her daughter’s achievements as fantastic.

“It is so wonderful to see our athletes getting the recognition they deserve. When Joyce was born, well, no I never thought I’d be welcoming her home from the Olympics. I have cried over the past few weeks. It’s wonderful and unbelievable and the whole of Warrenpoint is looking forward to welcoming our heroine home this evening.”

The team was welcomed home by Minister of State for Sport Michael Ring who described the athletes as “the most wonderful ambassadors for your country, in every possible way”.