Frank O’Dwyer of Ballylanders was a member of the Ireland floorball team which won bronze at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin.
The side, which also included Damien Kirwan, Gavin Bourke, Niall Corcoran, Jack Buckley, James Upton, Joseph Sheehan and James Hunter, earned a podium finish after a thrilling 3-0 win over Switzerland.
In all, Team Ireland secured an outstanding 11 medals and four placed finishes, marking this as one of their most successful Games to date.
Irish athlete and Sargent Shriver Global Messenger, Margaret Turley, delivered a powerful speech at the closing ceremony.
“Special Olympics has changed my life,” she said. “It has opened a world of friendships, gave me new challenges, and most importantly, provided the encourage-ment and support that shapes who I am today.
“Tonight, as we celebrate all of you, I want to leave you with a challenge. Do not let this feeling go to waste when you get home. Bottle it up, and use it for the rest of the year and beyond,” she said.
Four athletes from Mallow United Special Olympics Club starred on the Ireland floorball team, which won bronze medals at the World Winter Games in Turin. The four players, Jack Buckley, Gavin Bourke, Joe Joe Sheehan and James Hunter, were accorded a special reception in Doneraile Golf Club last weekend, attended by family, friends and supporters. For photos from the welcome-home reception, see pages 19 and 63.