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 Running   Network: Special Olympics Network Launched
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17th November 2003

 SPECIAL OLYMPICS IRELAND LAUNCHES MAJOR NATIONWIDE INITIATIVE – THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS NETWORK – AS A LEGACY TO WORLD GAMES

Bank of Ireland invests €1 million to support programme

Four months after the conclusion of the Special Olympics World Games last June a major nationwide initiative has been launched by Special Olympics Ireland to build on the huge wave of support there was for the Games in the 160 Host Towns and from the 30,000 volunteers that worked prior to and during the Games.

The initiative is being called the Special Olympics Network and Special Olympics Ireland plans to set up support groups in towns and villages throughout the country with the purpose of nurturing the establishment of new Special Olympics clubs in areas not previously served by a club and supporting the development of existing clubs including those clubs currently facilitated by schools and centres.

The initiative was formally launched at a reception in the Bank of Ireland Arts Centre today (17thNovember) by An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern T.D. “The World Games was a wonderful success but now it is time to move on and look at ways to build on what was achieved last June. I congratulate everyone associated with this initiative and encourage those who were volunteers or indeed spectators at the World Games to get involved so that we can truly create a lasting legacy for people with a learning disability” he said.

The Special Olympics Network is being supported and sponsored by Bank of Ireland, Premier Sponsor of the World Games last June. Bank of Ireland is to donate €1 million over two years to support its development and implementation. In addition to its cash contribution, Bank of Ireland will leverage the power of its national network of offices and staff, which played a central role in the World Games and, particularly, in the organisation and management of the Host Town Programme.

“There are over 34,000 people with a learning disability in Ireland and presently only 8,000 of them are currently actively involved with Special Olympics. This is a tremendous boost to Special Olympics in Ireland. Without the support of companies like Bank of Ireland and our long time partners eircom, we would not be in a position to undertake such an ambitious programme” said Cyril Freaney, Chairman, Special Olympics Ireland “If the World Games taught us anything, it was that when given the opportunity people with a learning disability can make a real contribution to our society. Special Olympics can and does play a part in that process. Our objective is that by 2007, we will have 20,000 people with a learning disability taking part regularly in Special Olympics training and competition programmes” he added.

To coincide with the launch of the Special Olympics Network, Special Olympics Ireland announced a new theme to follow on from the highly successful Share the Feeling theme of the World Games. A Place for Everyone! is the new theme and underpins Special Olympics Ireland’s commitment to offer more opportunities for athletes, families, volunteers and sponsors in ensuring that every person with a disability in Ireland will have an opportunity to become a Special Olympics athlete.

The Special Olympics Network will be organised on a regional basis with each region assessing local needs and encouraging existing sports facilities to cater for Special Olympics athletes and, where necessary, develop new facilities. The Network will recruit support and assistance from the many thousands of Irish people who were central to the success of the 2003 World Games, many of whom have been campaigning for opportunities to remain involved with the Special Olympics movement.

Speaking at the launch, Mike Soden, Group Chief Executive, Bank of Ireland said “In the aftermath of the World Games, it was very clear to us that we must remain involved with the Special Olympics movement. Our staff and our customers alike were caught up in the excitement and the emotion of the Games and everyone could see the life enhancing potential of Special Olympics.   Since June, we have been focused on a suitable ongoing sponsorship that would deliver tangible benefits for people with a learning disability”

“I believe that the Special Olympics Network is such a sponsorship. I am confident that Bank of Ireland staff will support it enthusiastically and that its objectives will be achieved in the timeframe we have set out” he added.

Starting immediately Special Olympics Ireland is embarking on an extensive programme of local meetings in cities, towns and villages throughout the country to outline how the Special Olympics Network will work and how individuals can become involved. Since the World Games concluded, over 5,000 people have called Special Olympics Ireland indicating that they would like to stay involved.

ENDS

For further information, contact

Fleishman-Hillard Saunders
Julian Davis - 01 6188423/086 2531269

Nicky Crichton – 01 6188461/086 6085454

Special Olympics
Mary Gleeson

Tel. 01 8691616/086 2213077


Details of Regional Launches:
 

Date

Region

Venue

Mon 17th Nov

Midlands

Tullamore Court Hotel

Tues 18th Nov

West

Galway Bay Hotel,
The Promenade
Salthill

Wed 19th Nov

Midwest

Radisson, Limerick

Thurs 20th Nov

South

Castle Inn,Macroom

Mon 24th Nov

MidEast

Hotel Keadeen, Newbridge

Tues 25th Nov

SouthEast

Hotel Kilkenny

Wed 26th Nov

NorthEast

Hillgrove Hotel
Old Armagh Road
Monaghan

Mon 1st Dec

North West

Great Northern Hotel.
Bundoran
Co.Donegal

Tues 2nd Dec

East Ulster

Everglades, Derry city

Date to be announced

Dublin

Venue to be announced

Date to be announced

Dublin

Venue to be announced

Tuesday 9th Dec

Belfast

Conference Centre
Kings Hall


Ian Dempsey, DJ and Rita Lawlor, former Special Olympics Ireland athlete with Cathal Muckian, Bank of Ireland Director of Retail Marketing, Area East pictured at the Dublin area launch of the legacy programme called the
Special Olympics Network, sponsored by Bank of Ireland.
For more details about the Special Olympics Network and an Expression of Interest form please call 0181 30 00 53, log on to www.specialolympics.ie or call into your local Bank of Ireland branch.


Pat Creed, Bank of Ireland Regional Manager (Dublin South) and Special Olympics Ireland athlete Bernadette Carey from the North Circular Road, Dublin 7, pictured at the Dublin area launch of the legacy programme.




Pictured are Michael O’Grady, Regional Manager West, Bank of Ireland with Special Olympics athletes Robert Gill and Roy Murphy from Galway City and Ruairi O’Toole from Spiddel, Co Galway. 



Diarmuid Lynch, Manager, Bank of Ireland Macroom with Special Olympics athlete Meghan O'Halloran at the launch of the legacy programme in Macroom, Co. Cork.


Special Olympics athlete Alex Teeling from Dundalk with Pat Byrne, Regional Manager, Bank of Ireland North East and Chairman of the Drogheda Host Town Committee at the North East launch of the Special Olympics Network.


Richard Wallace, Customer Care Manager for Bank of Ireland, Northern Ireland with athlete Gerard Shevlin at the East Ulster Launch of the Special Olympics network

 
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