Meet the Athletes

Brid Walsh - Kayaking - Connaught Region

Bridget, 43, from Mayo will be representing Connaught in Kayaking with Team Connaught and says being selected means the world to her. “It feels like a dream come true and means a lot to me,” Brid said. Brid is a proud member of Castlebar Special Olympics Club and loves being part of the Special Olympics community. “I love being involved in Special Olympics and being an ambassador, not just for my club. 'Inclusion revolution', and 'unbeatable together',” she shared. We cannot wait to see Brid in action as she represents Connaught, supported by her club and community. Bridget has kindly offered to be one of our Athlete Media Ambassadors for Connaught!

Ciaran Canning - Basketball - Connaught Region

Ciaran, 45, from Sligo will represent Connaught in Basketball and says being selected was a moment he will never forget. “It was brilliant news. Finola told me, and Martha and Dessie were there too. I was so excited I had to get Martha to talk to my sister on the phone for me,” Ciaran said. Ciaran loves everything about the sport and the friendships it brings. “I love basketball and playing with my friends,” he shared. We can't wait to see Ciaran take to the court and represent Connaught with pride. Ciaran has kindly agreed to be our Sligo representative for the Ireland Summer Games !

David Corroon - Basketball - Connaught Region

David, 37, from Westmeath will represent Connaught in Basketball and says the news filled him with pride. “I was so happy and proud. My mammy told me Corinna rang to say I was going to the Games. I danced around the kitchen and rang my sisters, they were so happy for me,” David said. David is a proud member of Shoot’n’Stars and loves the friendships and support he finds there. “I love Shoot’n’Stars because I meet my friends every Tuesday. I love being on the basketball team and my coach is proud of me. I will train hard,” he shared. David has kindly agreed to be our Westmeath representative to help us to promote the Ireland Summer Games

Philip Gray - Bowling - Connaught Region

Philip, 34, from Longford will be representing Connaught in Bowling and says the news made him feel proud and excited. “I was happy when my dad told me I was selected. I’m happy, excited and proud,” Philip said. Philip loves being involved in sport and the friendships it brings. “I like meeting friends at my club and competing in bowling, swimming and basketball,” he shared. Philiip has kindly agreed to be our Lonford athlete represenative to help us to promote the Ireland Summer Games

Aoife Hegarty - Athletics- Connaught Region

Aoife, 42, from Roscommon will be representing Connaught in Athletics and says she was incredibly proud to be selected. “Jacqui announced it at training and I was over the moon. I couldn’t believe it,” Aoife said. “Everyone was delighted for me and I was so happy to be chosen.” Aoife trains weekly with her club, where she feels welcomed and included. “I love meeting friends, trying my best at competitions, and all the fun activities we do. Our volunteers are amazing and I always feel part of something special at the club.” We can’t wait to see Aoife in action — an athlete to watch who will no doubt be cheered on by her entire community. Aoife has kindly offered to be our Roscommon representative to help us to promote the Ireland Summer Games

Jayden O’Reilly - Bocce - Connaught Region

Jayden, 16, from Athlone will be representing Connaught in Bocce and says he was delighted to be selected. “I was absolutely thrilled when I heard that I made the team,” Jayden said. Jayden is a proud member of Athlone Special Olympics Club and loves the sense of friendship it brings. “I love going to club because I get to see all my new friends and we have so much fun,” he shared. Jayden has kindly offered to be one of our Athlete Media Ambassadors for the Connaught Region.

Fintan Smyth - Equestrian - Connaught Region

At 20 years of age, and proudly representing County Leitrim, Fintan will compete in equestrian events at the National Games. He described his reaction to the selection by saying, “I was delighted when I heard that I had been picked for the National Games.” The news was shared at home after their mammy received an email from the club, with their daddy also present, making it a special family moment filled with congratulations. Speaking about his club, Fintan said, “I like going to the club each Saturday, the club is good fun and I like meeting people each week.” Fintan has kindly agreed to be the athlete representative for Leitrim to help us to promote the Ireland Summer Games

Anita Forde - Basketball - Eastern Region

Anita, 28, from Kildare will be representing Team Eastern in Basketball and says the news filled her with excitement. “I was told by my coach in the car on the way home from the Special Olympics Ireland Volunteer Awards that I was selected. I was very happy and delighted to hear the news,” Anita said. Anita is a proud member of Palmerstown Wildcats and values the confidence and friendships her club brings. “I love basketball because it helps me be healthy, confident and sociable. I get to see my friends and my coaches support me every step of the way,” she shared.

Emma Johnstone - Basketball - Eastern Region

Emma, 29, from Dublin will be representing Team Eastern in Basketball and says being selected was a proud moment for her. “When I heard from my club coach that I was selected for the Ireland Games 2026, I was delighted to have been given this opportunity to represent Team Eastern,” Emma said. Emma is a proud member of Sports Club 15 and loves the teamwork and connection it brings. “What I love about my club is that I get to see my teammates every Monday to play basketball. We learn from each other and play as a team in training and during matches,” she shared.

Ashwin Maliyakal - Basketball - Eastern Region

Ashwin, 22, from Dublin will be representing Team Eastern in Basketball and says being selected brought great joy. “It was by a text message from my basketball coach, and my dad and my mom were there with me. I was really delighted and happy that I got selected for the Ireland Games for the third time, and delighted that I got selected for Basketball,” Ashwin said. Ashwin is a proud member of Killester Special Olympics Club and values the support around him. “I like that the coaches are helpful and encouraging to us. The club is friendly, our team is helpful to each other, and we look out for each other,” he shared.

Jacob McKenna - Open Water Swimming - Eastern Region

Jacob, 24, from Dublin will be representing Team Eastern in Open Water Swimming and says the news made him feel incredibly proud. “I heard about my selection for Ireland Games through a phone call from my head coach. I was absolutely overjoyed and so proud to be selected for our own national games,” Jacob said. Jacob is a proud member of Viking Swimmers Special Olympics Club and values the encouragement around him. “Our coaches push us to reach our full potential and we all encourage each other. My confidence has grown so much thanks to the supportive environment,” he shared.

Sadhbh Feehan - Bowling - Leinster Region

Sadhbh, 28, from Carlow will be representing Leinster in Bowling and says the moment she found out was unforgettable. “I couldn’t believe it when I found out. I was walking to my local coffee shop when a volunteer messaged me to say I was selected for bowling in Dublin. I was so excited,” Sadhbh said. Sadhbh is a proud member of Carlow Special Olympics Club and values the encouragement around her. “Everyone in the club is so supportive and encouraging. The fun, support and motivation from teammates and volunteers keep me going,” she shared.

Moira Scott - Multiple Sports - Leinster Region

Moira, 21, from Tullamore, Co. Offaly will be representing Leinster across multiple sports and says being selected was a moving moment. “I felt unbelievable emotion. I was so happy because some of my friends had heard they were selected the week before, and I was praying I could join them. I was proud, excited and delighted,” Moira said. Moira trains with Tullamore Special Olympics and Laochra Laois and finds strength and confidence through sport. “My sports help me grow as a person. I challenge myself, keep going, and encourage others. I love motivating my friends. If I can do it, so can you,” she shared.

Michael Carr - Basketball - Munster Region

Michael Carr, 37, from Limerick will be representing Team Munster and says being selected was an unforgettable moment. “It was like the happiest moment ever. I heard about it through email and no one was with me. It made me feel so proud and delighted,” Michael said. Michael is a proud member of Limerick City Special Olympics and loves giving back to others. “I love helping other athletes and working with my teammates. I also love how the coaches prepare us for tough training sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” he shared.

Tara Loftus - Athletics - Munster Region

Tara Loftus, 33, from Limerick will be representing Team Munster in Athletics and says being selected was a great honour. “I was very happy and excited to be selected. It’s a great honour to represent my county and club. I got a phone call with the good news,” Tara said. Tara is a proud member of Limerick City Special Olympics and loves the friendships and support within her club. “I love meeting up with all my friends and the way everyone supports each other in all the games,” she shared.

Alexandra Moloney - Swimming- Munster Region

Alexandra Moloney, 25, from Limerick and Cork will be representing Team Munster in Swimming and says being selected was a dream come true. “I was waiting for swimming to be announced and trying not to get my hopes up. When my name was called out last, I jumped around the room. I was buzzing all night and when the official email came through, I got excited all over again,” Alexandra said. Alexandra is a proud member of Limerick City Special Olympics and feels a strong sense of belonging there. “It’s a place where I feel I belong. I’ve made friends, I get to exercise, and nobody judges me. I love the social events and being part of the club,” she shared.

Jack Armstrong - Boccee - Ulster Region

Jack, 22, from Tyrone will be representing Team Ulster in Bocce and says being selected made him feel proud. “I was very happy when I found out I was selected. We got an email and my mum, brother and sister were with me. I felt really proud that all my training and hard work was getting me to be part of Team Ulster,” Jack said. Jack is a proud member of Omagh Spires and enjoys the variety and support at his club. “What I like about our club is that we can do multi sports. We have lots of opportunities to compete, great coaches and volunteers, and plenty of fun,” he shared.

Thomas Heaney - Golf - Ulster Region

Thomas, 22, from Armagh will be representing Team Ulster in Golf and says the news brought him great excitement. “My mum got the email to say I was picked to go to Special Olympics Ireland. When she told me, I was very happy and excited because this will be my first time at the Games,” Thomas said. Thomas is a proud member of Birdies Golf and loves the friendships it brings. “I love playing golf with all my friends at Birdies,” he shared.

Clare McIIroy - Table Tennis - Ulster Region

Clare, 29, from Monaghan will be representing Team Ulster in Table Tennis and says being selected brought her great happiness. “I was delighted to be selected to play table tennis. I was in my Centre when my Mam rang. I was very happy and told everybody. Everybody gave me high fives,” Clare said. Clare is a proud member of Monaghan Special Olympics Club and loves the fun and friendships it brings. “I love training, keeping fit and having good fun with my friends, and I love going on bus trips to compete with other clubs,” she shared.

Jenna Thevanau - Equestrian - Ulster Region

Jenna, 31, from Down will be representing Team Ulster in Equestrian and says the moment she found out was filled with pride. “I was so proud and called all my family. My sister told me that I made the Ulster team. She was crying because she was so happy and everyone was proud of me,” Jenna said. Jenna is a proud member of Newry All Stars and cherishes the people around her. “I love all the people, the riding and how kind everyone is. They are my family,” she shared.