Happy 20th birthday Special Olympics Irishtown. Carmel Malone, inspired by her son Brian, founded this organisation with the help of Bernie Griffin.

The women undertook courses at Thomond in Limerick to assist them with the training. They train every Monday night, and there are 22 athletes participating at present. Their coach is Ger Griffin, to whom Carmel would like to extend a big thanks for his invaluable skills and dedication to the club.

She would also like to thank Clanna Gael for making their facility available for the Monday night sessions. Shay Connelly and Frank White, and all the committee over the past twenty years, she thanks for their part in the success of the athletes, who have brought home medals from area, regional, national, international and world games. Track and field is their event, and the use of Irishtown Stadium for training to compete to a high level is of the utmost importance to the team’s success.

Seven athletes are going to the regional games on the 19th/ 20th June taking place in Santry. Competition is stiff, so wish them luck! They may progress to the national finals taking place next year in Limerick. International games will take place in Greece in 2011, followed by the World games in London in 2012. It is very exciting for all the competitors as it increases their confidence and they get a real shot at experiencing the glow of success and achievement that comes from taking part and taking home medals.

The Gardaí at Irishtown station pick up the team in their van to bring them to the stadium, and make sure they get to all events. Carmel would like to send a special thank you to Garda Ken Harrington and all the lads down at the station who never let them down, and who enjoy presenting the medals at competitions.

The two relay teams achieved very fast times in the 4 x 100 m, and Carmel’s son Brian has won around 350 medals since he began 20 years ago with Carmel and Bernie.

Carmel hopes that she has not left anyone out and would like to thank everyone involved during that time as this is definitely not the type of undertaking you could do on your own.

Finally, she would like to thank all the athletes for their fortitude, discipline and good spirits in training and competing. They have always done Irishtown proud at games. So, may we look forward to London 2012 and recite the Special Olympics Oath: ‘Let me win, but if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt’.