Of course, it’s easy to be apathetic about welcoming home a team of professional athletes who fail for whatever reason to perform. However, there’s no way anyone could be apathetic about the Special Olympic Games. The sheer scale of the event and the enthusiasm of those involved and those volunteering their services dictate against it. Preparations for the games have been months in the making, with events run nationwide to assist in sending would-be Olympians to the games.

Special Olympics aims to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

However, as those behind Special Olympics point out, this aim has now evolved from being ‘nice’ to ‘critical’. It’s not just a sports organisation for people with intellectual disabilities; it’s also a catalyst for change. Through participation, athletes find their voices.

The Special Olympics motto is: ‘Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt’. Hopefully, the Irish athletes will bring home a few medals but there’s no doubt they will do us proud either way. Good luck to all our Irish competitors, especially the Galway team.

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