President pays tribute to 'extraordinary' Paralympians

A DOG named Quartz and a former student of President Michael D Higgins were among the convivial crowd of Paralympic athletes and their supporters welcomed to Áras An Uachtaráin yesterday.

Mr Higgins described the team’s 16-medal haul as “extraordinary”. The summer games was more than medals, it was an acknowledgment of the “special qualities that mark out those who are not only very gifted but people of courage, of determination, of perseverance”. Each of the 37 athletes present and their family members were greeted individually by Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina at the reception to recognise the team’s achievements

To Mr Higgins’s surprise, table-tennis player Rena McCarron Rooney told him that she had been his student some 30 years ago when he lectured at NUI Galway as part of the sociology and politics course.

Much attention was garnered by the shiny coat of Quartz, athlete Nadine Lattimore’s guide dog.

The Paralympians were “citizens we can be very proud of” Mr Higgins told the athletes. They had “important qualities that our country so badly needs at this current time as we seek to rebuild our confidence and our international image,” he said.

None looked so proud as seven-year-old Calum Wayland who was held by his mother, discus silver medallist Catherine O’Neill, as she was praised by Mr Higgins for working “tirelessly to promote disability sport in her local community”. Mr Higgins also commented that it was hard to believe that it was the first Paralympic Games for triple equestrian medal winner Helen Kearney.

Paralympics Ireland chief executive Liam Harbison noted the achievements of Irish presidents in repairing UK relations had been felt at the games. “The support not only from the Irish people, but from . . . especially the British people, is a testament to the work of your predecessors and you are carrying on today.”