// Ennis golfer makes his mark
Munster golfer Paul Kirrane is inspired to give back
With his gutsy performance at the nine hole event today, Paul can be very proud of inspiring everyone around him. We sat down with his mother Mary Rose who shared his story.
Paul Kirrane, from Clare, is a passionate golfer who lives and breathes Special Olympics, Team Munster and his club, Ennis Golf Club.
The club have a strong record of Games success over the years, and Paul was a significant part of that by winning a Bronze medal alongside his partner Pat Rutherford at the World Games in Los Angeles in 2015.
While Paul is certainly passionate about Golf, he is just as passionate about using his platform to inspire others. Before the Games, he shared how much he was looking forward to showing what he can do on the golf course, and to encouraging people to become involved – whether as an athlete, a coach, or a volunteer.
With his gutsy performance at the nine hole golf event today, Paul can be very proud of inspiring everyone around him. We sat down with his mother Mary Rose who shared his story.
“Hello, my name is Mary Rose Kirrane. I'm from Ennis. My son Paul plays nine-hole golf. He loves the Special Olympics, and loves playing golf.
He's really feeling included in whatever he does, and it's a wonderful sense of achievement for him. We encourage him to play and to enjoy it, and it's just the trip of a lifetime for him. Thank you to Special Olympics for all the wonderful work they do, and their support, and their volunteers, and their interest in the athletes - it's wonderful.
Paul has really been looking forward to the Games. He's been checking it on Facebook, and all the social media. We’ve been busy trying to build up his fitness for these Games. He loves going out for a walk with his dad to build up, because the Games involves three days of golf on the trot.
Paul just loves the whole involvement and the participation, and it's just wonderful. The Opening Ceremony was amazing. Paul was just so excited that we were able to go. I just felt so emotional, it was stressing all the positive side, all the positive abilities. As parents, sometimes in the past you would have heard the other sides of things people can do, but the whole inclusion aspect was just great. It was an amazing ceremony, and Paul just loved it – especially the dancing!
I can't stress how important it is for Paul being involved in Special Olympics. He dreams it, sleeps it, just loves it. The whole ethos of Special Olympics is inclusion and participation.”