Special Olympics Ireland has formally launched the return of its National Games to Limerick in 2014. The event will be one of the largest to take place in the country in 2014 and will bring together 1,500 athletes, 500 coaches and 3,000 volunteers.
The games were hailed as a great success when last held in the city in 2014 and their return will see 14 events taking place at five different venues on the University of Limerick Campus as well as six others in Limerick and surrounding areas.
Munster and Ireland Rugby star Paul O’Connell is leading the hunt for volunteers without whom it would not be possible to stage the Games. The events take place from Thursday 12th June through to Sunday 15th and volunteers are asked to be available for the full four days. An application form is available online at Special Olympics Ireland and each successful applicant will need to undertake Garda vetting and training, which can be completed online.
The Games are a massive undertaking for the organisation which has been hit in recent years by reduced funding for people with disability but which maintains 400 clubs around the country catering to the sporting and social needs of 11,000 athletes and their families.
Eircom has been a long term supporter of the annual collection day and the organisation was one of the charities to feature prominently last month during National Giving Week promotions across a number of media channels.
The fundraising requirement to stage a successful games has been set at just short of €2 million by Special Olympics Ireland CEO Matt English who launched next year’s event yesterday at a special gala event in the Concert Hall of Limerick University.
“The success of the 2010 Games left a lasting impression on everyone and I am confident that the coming Games will be as enjoyable and positive an experience for those involved,” said English.
“The two critical areas to guarantee success are people and finance. Over the coming months we will be working hard to raise the €1.9m required to cover the costs of these Games. With the help of 3,000 volunteers and businesses from the greater Limerick area we are determined to ensure that the Special Olympics Ireland 2014 Limerick Games will be a fantastic success and talked about for many years to come.”
“I know the red carpet will be rolled out to all those involved.”
Stars from across the sporting spectrum will be helping out and David Wallace was one of the co hosts of yesterday’s event.
A major element of the fundraising will be a new partnership between Special Olympics and the Great Limerick Run which takes place in the city on May 4th. It is hoped as many runner was possible will raise money for the Games through their own training to participate, and so help others to live their dream.
Up to 120 athletes from these games will be go on to represent Ireland at the next World Games to take place in Los Angeles in 2014 but for now the focus is very much on Limerick in June 2014.
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