A special welcome

GOLDEN FEELING Achill double Special Olympic champion Mary Henry (left) and her mother Annie enjoying the home coming celebrations.

Special welcome for Mayo athletes

Anton McNulty

MAYO’S Special Olympic athletes were given a triumphant welcome home from China at the weekend, with hundreds of people attending specially-arranged receptions for the medal winners around the county.
The 2007 Special Olympics World Games, which were held in Shanghai, were the most successful yet for Mayo athletes with eleven medals won overall, covering a number of events. The closing ceremony took place last Thursday and the athletes flew into Dublin on Friday evening.
Achill Olympian, Mary Henry, received a rapturous welcome when she returned to Achill. Before she went to China, it was her wish to win a medal and return home on a helicopter, and both her wishes came true when she touched down beside Ostan Oileán Acla on Saturday evening with a gold and a silver medal, which she won in equestrian events.
Despite the rain, a large crowd were present for her homecoming in Polranny and Mary was joined on stage by her mother Annie, who celebrated her birthday in China, and her brothers and sisters.
Maureen McGee of the Newport Resource Centre was the first to introduce Mary to horse-riding at the Drumindoo stables in Westport, and she paid tribute to Mary and her family on her success.
“We are all extremely proud of you, Mary, and winning the gold and silver medals was a wonderful achievement and something that is not achieved by many people. You have brought honour and triumph to your county, Achill and to your mum and family. It was not easy for you to go out to China and win, but you did it and fair play to you, Mary,” she said.
Amongst the other dignitaries to pay tribute to Mary were Dara Calleary TD, Cllrs Micheál McNamara and Michael Holmes, Pat Kilbane, Chairman of Comhlacht Forbartha Áitiúil Acla and Fr Brendan McGuinness PP, who said that Mary’s triumph had brought great excitement to the parish and she was an inspiration to everyone.
Mary’s sister, Patricia thanked everyone who turned up to greet Mary and to everyone who helped and supported her throughout the year. Mary rounded off the celebration with a rendition of ‘Danny Boy’ before she was given a Garda escort as her cavalcade travelled to Newport and Achill.
In Claremorris, Deirdre Gavin, who won a bronze medal in bowling, received a similar welcome and was greeted by the Balla pipe band on her arrival at the train station on Saturday afternoon. She received a Garda escort through the town to the Cúram Centre where a special cake was presented to her. Deirdre’s father, Austin, paid tribute to the Castlebar Strikers Bowling Club and the Claremorris Special Olympic Club for all they did to help Deirdre.
On Sunday night, there were medals galore on display in Kiltimagh with Gary Diamond winning gold, silver and bronze in bocce, Jack Jones winning a gold in badminton and Patricia McNicholas winning a silver and bronze in bocce. They paraded through the town in open-top cars and were given mementoes to mark their achievements by the Chairperson of the Kiltimagh Special Olympics network Ray McGreal, at a function in the Cill Aodáin Hotel.
A celebration for Ballina athlete Ian O’Donnell, who won a silver and bronze in athletics, and all the Olympians from Ballina, will take place through the streets of Ballina on Friday night at 8.30pm.