Mayo quartet return in triumph after Special Olympics heroics

Mayo quartet return in triumphafter Special Olympics heroics


Colin McDonagh

THE Mayo quartet of Deirdre Gannon, Deirdre Garvin, Mary McDermott and Paul Kavanagh will return home to a heroes’ welcome today (Tuesday) following their exploits in the Special Olympics. These fine Mayo athletes will bring home one gold, five silver and one unity medal after two weeks of competition.
Mary McDermott from Barnacogue, Swinford represented her country in Bocce and won a gold medal in the doubles event. Mary also went on to capture a silver medal in the singles competition and finished fourth in the team event.
Deirdre Gannon from Lecanvey, Westport captured two silver medals in bowling, one in the doubles and one in the teams event. Deirdre also finished sixth in the singles competition. Deirdre attends the Carrowbeg club in Westport.
Deirdre Garvin from Claremorris also claimed two silver medals, one in the doubles and one in the team event. Deirdre, a member of the Mayo Bowling Club in Castlebar and the Castlebar Strikers Club, also finished seventh in the singles competition
Paul Kavanagh from Castlebar took part in the table tennis event and claimed a Unity Medal for his efforts. Paul also finished fourth in the mixed doubles, fifth in the doubles and eighth in the singles.
Teresa Ward, Sport, Leisure and Recreation Co-ordinator with Western Care, was “full of praise” for all the Mayo Olympians who took part. Speaking from Athens, she also paid tribute to the three coaches who travelled with the Mayo panel – Frank Vahey, Linda Heraty and Tommy Canavan – who “put in a huge amount of work on a voluntary basis and looked after the team 24/7”.
Seven further volunteers also travelled with the Mayo contingent: Patricia Gilmartin and Natalie Langdon (both from Ballina), Anne Hennelly (Claremorris) and Louise O’Hora, Helen Shannon, Megan Cleary and Katie Duffy (all from Kiltimagh).
Teresa Ward said that the achievements of the Mayo Olympians were “just reward” for all these volunteers and the families and friends of the competitors. She also complimented the athletes’ “amazing effort” over the past four years, incorporating area games (involving Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim), regional games and national games in Limerick.
She concluded that it wasn’t just participation in the Special Olympics that counted but how the event was “extremely important in building the self confidence”, of the team.
“They made so many friends over the past two weeks,” she added, noting that the team had left Ireland for Athens as sports people with a dream “but will return as national heroes”.