26 Breffni Blues athletes preparing for the Ireland Game

Twenty-six Breffni Blues athletes recently qualified for the Ireland Games this summer in Dublin. There, they will compete for a spot at the World Games 2027 in Chile. The competitions are for people with intellectual disabilities, but the accomplishment is nothing short of remarkable. “People are in awe when they see the level,” Attracta O’Reilly says. The club Secretary from Belturbet has been involved for more than ten years with her son Eoin - a swimmer who is hoping to get a chance to win a medal at the Special Olympics.

A total of 231 clubs across 32 counties offer year-round training and competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. They provide opportunities to improve fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and build friendships with family, fellow athletes, and the wider community.

The Breffni Blues Special Olympics Club, based in Cavan, supports 57 athletes aged from 5 to 55 years across seven sports. They celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2024. The volunteer-run club offers training in athletics, swimming, golf, kayak, swimming, bocce, and bowling.

They all train on a weekly basis, “one sport for every day of the week,” Attracta laughs. Only bowling is once a month, since there is no alley in Cavan anymore and the athletes travel to Castleblayney.

Angela Cleary (31) from Killeshandra is one of those bowlers. She plays bocce as well, but qualified for bowling. She loves the excitement of the balls knocking the pins - as well as meeting her friends. She started bowling in her teens, when Cavan still had an alley. The travel has not deterred her from playing the game. “I’m excited to go to the Games in Dublin,” she says, hoping to qualify for what would be her second World Games in Chile.

Ahead of the Special Olympics Ireland Games in Dublin this June, the athletes train regularly with their Ulster teams. This involves traveling to several locations in the North from Belfast for Golf to Craigavon for swimming, while kayaking is trained locally in Ballyconnell. “We charge our athletes as well of course, but a bus for the day is €800,” describes Attracta the toll on the club. Capitol Sports Grants are welcome but can only be used for equipment when “our main costs are travel expenses”.

Some of the athletes have secured sponsorship from local businesses and companies “who have been very generous,” Attracta highlights. Besides that, the club has organised several fundraising events: Cake sales, fishing competition, golf, coffee morning, sponsored walk, pancake day, D-Kube, raffle of an oil painting and laps for inclusion. Cavan Golf club are running a golf classic in May in support of them.

Taking part in the Ireland Games in June is another costly commitment, Attracta explains: “Each athlete has to pay €520 for accommodation, food and travel from Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st in Dublin.” Besides their 26 athletes, seven chaperones join the participants. “A lot of money,” admits Attracta.

To offset the costs associated with the Ireland Games, two participants are hosting a table quiz on Friday, April 17 at 9pm in the Seven Horse Shoes in Belturbet. Recognising the athletes commitment, the local GAA club Rory O’Moore’s are actively promoting the event for their four clubmen Eoin O’Reilly, Joshua McKiernan, Daragh Dolan and Caleb Fitzpatrick who qualified for the Games.

“This is an incredible achievement for all of the lads and their families and as a club we are all so proud of them, and of their teammates with the Breffni Blues Special Olympics Club,” the club announced.

To support the athletes of the Breffni Blues Special Olympics Club can contact them through the club’s Facebook page.