Ormond Special Olympics Club athletes to represent Munster at Ireland Games

The 2026 Ireland Special Olympics Games will be the largest inclusive sporting event in the country when it takes place in Dublin from 18th to 21st June.

Over 1,200 athletes will compete at an all-island level in 12 sports across ten venues over four action-packed days, all powered by thousands of volunteers, supporters, coaches and officials, and will kick off at Tallaght Stadium with the Opening Ceremony on Thursday, 18th June, followed by three unforgettable days of excitement, inclusion and competition.

Four athletes from Ormond Special Olympics Club, Nenagh, have achieved selection to the Munster team to compete in the Games and they are all very proud of this opportunity to represent their province and aim for selection to the Ireland squad for the forthcoming World Games next year.

Rachel Ryan, Ann O’Meara and Martha Jones will compete in Athletics at Morton Stadium, Santry, while fellow Aife Dalton has been selected for the Munster Aquatics team from Limerick City Special Olympics Swimming Club where she also trains. They will be joining the Munster team delegation, comprising over 400 athletes and coaches from all parts of the province.

Rachel Ryan lives in Templemore. She has been a member of Ormond Club for over 25 years and has been one of the Club’s outstanding athletes over that period, progressing from her success in Sprint Events to her present dominance in Middle Distance. She is a veteran of both Munster Teams and Ireland Teams, having previously achieved regular selection to the Munster Athletics squad, leading onto progression into Medal Winning Ireland Teams at The European Youth Games in 2006 in Rome, The World Games in 2011 in Athens, and the 2015 World Games in Los Angeles.

Ann O’Meara lives in Nenagh and is a founder athlete member of Ormond Special Olympics Club since 1996. She was a Medal Winner in the Munster Aquatic Team in the 2002 Ireland Games in Dublin. At the forthcoming Games, she will be competing in the 400m Walk and TurboJav. Ann is hoping to progress to selection for the Ireland Team at World Games level, and her ambition thereafter is to devote her efforts into becoming a Volunteer at local Club level to help others achieve her success.

Martha Jones is from Moneygall. Again, she has been a Special Olympics Athlete for many years and successfully represented Munster in Swimming in The Ireland Games in Limerick in 2010. Her dedication to her training has seen her qualify for the Munster Team in both Track and Field. Her strongest event is the Shot Putt, and her impeccable technique in this difficult discipline has earned her selection to the Munster Team. She will also be competing in the 100m.

Aife Dalton lives in Ballina and although she is the youngest member of Ormond Club on the Munster team, she has been a Special Olympics athlete for some 16 years, having previously been selected to represent Munster in the 2018 Ireland Games in both Track and Field. Aife is also a strong swimmer, training with Limerick Special Olympics Club, and will be competing for the Munster Aquatic team. An avid Munster Rugby fan, Aife is proud to have the opportunity to wear the Munster colours once again.

Ormond Special Olympics Club Nenagh Head Coach, Liadhan Hassett, said “I am so proud of how hard all our Club athletes have worked over recent years, and it is a tribute to the efforts of everyone in our club that we have athletes selected for the Munster Team. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated local coaches, volunteers, family members and supporters. We know all our athletes at the Games will do their very best to live up to the Special Olympics Athletes’ Oath – “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

As with mainstream Olympics, Special Olympics World Games are held every four years. The next World Games will be held in Chile in October 2027. Special Olympics athletes throughout Ireland have been training and competing in their clubs and at provincial level to make their way through this strenuous four year advancement cycle and achieving selection to the National Games stage. Thereafter, the revolving Advancement Cycle will conclude with final athlete selections to form the team to travel to represent Ireland in Chile next year.

Further updates on the progress of the Munster team will feature in future editions, and we wish them all well as they aim for success in the Ireland Games.