Go Team!

Jonathan Griffin holds the Flame of Hope with Garda Síochána Deputy Commissioner Nacie Rice & Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland PSNI

My last blog post was quite emotional and blue, I wrote it in the early hours after a long day obsessively watching the events unfold in Japan and felt so sad.  I was on a bit of a downer to be honest and felt guilty that the only bright side of what I wrote about benefited me and my family.
Then along came Sunday morning and I got to see something great which reminded me of the fact that no matter what awfulness happens in life, there’s always something wonderful happening somewhere else.
You know that thing that gets us up in the morning with hope in our hearts.
The something wonderful I got to witness was the launch of Special Olympics Team Ireland at the Convention Centre in Dublin on Sunday morning.
The 126 athletes, who will be representing Ireland in Athens this summer, took to the stage in a whirlwind of cheers, clapping & foot stomping to the Black Eyed Peas song I Gotta Feeling, to launch the beginning of something truly great.
It was moving, in a proper, well up, lump in your throat kind of way.
They were all honest, happy, real people up there delighted to be getting a chance to try their best at something they love doing.
How great is that?  To use one of my favourite phrases – I was gob smacked!
I felt honoured and proud to witness such a positive, fun and exhilarating event.  Not just because the athletes are my own country men and women, but because they are amazing.
From 25th June to 4th July this year, these athletes will compete in 12 sports along with almost 7,500 other athletes from every corner of the world.

The Special Olympics athletes oath is:
“Let me win.  But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt”
With that amazing thought in mind, I encourage you to support the Special Olympics this summer and cheer everyone along; it’s going to be wonderful.
Watch their progress on their web site at Special Olymnpics Athens
Follow on Twitter at Speicial Olympics Ireland
Follow on Facebook at Special Olympics Ireland



Thanks to Bernie & Linda of Special Olympics Ireland for their help in this post.
Picture reproduced by kind permission of Special Olympics Ireland

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