Ormond athletes at the Ireland Games
Eight athletes and three coaches from Ormond Special Olympics Club were involved in the Special Olympics Ireland Games last weekend.
Athletes Niamh Slattery, William Ryan, Aisling Maher, Kieran Doughan, Moira Moran, James Brennan, Rachel Ryan and Aife Dalton were joined by coaches/chaperones Pauline Nugent, Annagh Roche and Bríd Mackey at the three-day event in Dublin.
The Ormond team enjoyed a farewell party in Nenagh last Thursday morning when they set off from the Tipp FM studio on Pearse St with a garda escort. They then travelled to the Tallaght Stadium for the opening ceremony, which was attended by several thousand people, including President Michael D Higgins.
The opening ceremony featured exciting performances from well-known Irish acts such as folk duo Hudson Taylor and Jake Carter. Ireland’s Got Talent finalists Xquisite Dance Group also featured in an energetic performance and leading Irish DJ and record producer John Gibbons raised the roof with 'Decades Disco', celebrating 40 years of Special Olympics in Ireland.
The Ormond athletes were among 381 from Munster and 1,600 in total at the Ireland Games.