Clarinbridge’s Máire Connolly will represent Ireland in the Special Olympics World Winter Games which gets underway in Turin on Saturday (8th March 2025).
The 21-year-old won two gold medals at the Ireland Games last year and competes in three Alpine Skiing events, the first of which is the Novice Giant Slalom next Tuesday (11th).
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Alpine Ski Team L-R (Back)Collette Cahill, Jill Sloan, Donal Brennan, Lorraine Whelan, Maire Connelly Glyn Williamson, (front) Jane McDowel,l Lucy Best, Caolan McConville, Clive Healy, Sinead Costello (HOD)
©INPHO/Tom MaherAfter a year of dedicated training, Special Olympics Team Ireland has officially set off for the 2025 World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. Excitement began yesterday evening when the team attended a press call at Terminal 2 before checking in luggage and equipment, ahead of their early flight this morning. At 5.30 am the team were welcomed to Dublin Airport by Aer Lingus Ground Operations, Cabin Crew and Flight Operations teams before boarding Aer Lingus flight EI 432 to Milan.
Representing Ireland at the Games will be 14 athletes across two sports—Floorball and Alpine Skiing. The team is made up of eight Floorball players and six Alpine Skiers, all of whom have put in months of preparation alongside their clubs and coaches to be ready for this moment.
The Special Olympics World Winter Games, running from March 8th to 15th, will bring together over 3,125 athletes from 102 nations, competing across eight winter sports.
The team’s journey to Turin was made even more special for Joseph Sheehan, a member of the Floorball team, who celebrated his birthday mid-flight. The Aer Lingus crew and pilots surprised him with a birthday cake, ensuring the adventure got off to a memorable start.
Strong Support Behind Team Ireland
Backing the athletes every step of the way is a dedicated group of 42 volunteers, who will be on the ground in Turin to support the team throughout the Games. Joining them will be 70 family members, travelling to cheer on their loved ones and bring a piece of home to the competition.
Aer Lingus, a proud partner of Special Olympics Ireland for over 25 years, has once again provided flights for the full delegation, demonstrating their long-standing commitment to supporting Irish athletes on the world stage.
Matt English, CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, highlighted the significance of this moment:
"This is the culmination of months of dedication, training, and teamwork. Our athletes have worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and we couldn’t be prouder of them. None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of their families, coaches, volunteers, and, of course, our longstanding partner Aer Lingus. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has played a role in getting Team Ireland to Turin."
Lynne Embleton, CEO, Aer Lingus, added: “We are immensely proud of the 14 athletes who will represent Ireland at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin. It’s a huge achievement for each individual athlete and the fantastic wider support team behind them to compete at this high level for their country. The whole of Aer Lingus is behind Team Ireland to wish them the best of luck on the slopes and on the court in Turin. It’s our pleasure to have the team on board with us and a real honour for our ground operations team, our pilots and our cabin crew to be part of their send off today.”
With competition kicking off in just a few days, all eyes will be on Team Ireland as they take to the court and slopes in pursuit of personal bests and podium finishes.
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You can also like and follow Team Ireland as they get ready to compete at the Special Olympics Turin World Winter Games journey on social media!
For more details on Team Ireland at the Special Olympics World Winter Games, check out our official press pack here: https://www.specialolympics.ie/media/3336
