Spiddal to host fund raiser for Galway's Special Olympians

Date Published: 16-Jun-2011

NINE Galway athletes will be heading to Athens next week as part of the Irish team competing in the 2011 Special Olympics World Games which begin on June 25th.

The team will participate in 12 Sports – Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Bocce, Bowling, Equestrian, Football, Golf, Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics, Kayaking and Table Tennis.

Three teams will compete in the football competitions – 11-a-side male, 5-a-side female and 5-a-side male, and basketball will be represented by one male and one female squad. Team Ireland will be supported by a team of 49 volunteer coaches and management.

The Galway athletes competing are: footballers Christina Kelly, Emma Finneran, Fionnuala Treacy (Creagh Training Centre), and Linda Cannon (Loughrea Training Centre); golfer Denise Flattery (Athenry Fairways Special Olympics Club); basketball player Gary Cunningham (Galway Tribes Special Olympics Club); John Loughnane (Ballinasloe Eagles Special Olympics Club); Jonathon Griffin (Corrib Bowling Club) and kayaker Ruairí O’ Toole from An Spidéal.

Mary Davis, Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe-Eurasia, will attend an Oíche Cheoil agus Siamsaíochta in Park Lodge Hotel, An Spidéal on Friday June 17th to honour the athletes. Tickets, priced at €5, can be bought in local shops in An Spidéal, or may be purchased at the door. All proceeds will go to Special Olympics Ireland. Fáilte roimh chách.