Fingal Swifts

Fingal Swifts Special Olympics club was officially launched on the 14th May 2010 at a club party in the Clarion Hotel, Swords. Michael Kennedy TD and Cllr Clare Daly held either end of the ribbon while athlete Robert Savage, as the first athlete to join the club, cut the the ribbon to officially launch Fingal Swifts Special Olympics club!

 Athletes, volunteers, their families and friends all cheered as the club was launched into the community! Athletes were entertained by a magician before being presented with club membership medals, displaying the club logo, by Club Manager Patricia Clarke, followed by a disco for everyone to dance the evening away!
 
Special Olympics Ireland Director of Marketing, Communications, and Fundraising Sahra O’Neill, Fingal County Council Sports Development Officer Vincent Foley, and Prosper Fingal Director of Services Pat Reen, said they were delighted to attend the launch and to meet so many local athletes, family members and volunteers.

In her speech at the launch, Cllr Clare Daly quoted Mohamad Ali “Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision”, and expanded on this stating that the athletes and the volunteers of Fingal Swifts are the ‘Champions’ in question. Michael Kennedy TD said he was delighted to be invited and looks forward to following the progress the club makes down the line. He also wished all the athletes in the club representing Special Olympics Eastern Region at the National Games in June in Limerick, the very best of luck.
 
A big thanks was given to Fingal County Council and ALSAA Swimming Pool for all their assistance in helping to get the club set-up, and for their continued assistance to date. Thanks was also given to the Clarion Hotel, Swords, who kindly donated the venue for the launch, and also to Nationwide UK (Ireland) for accomodating the day to day stationary needs of the club as well as the confectionary for the athletes to enjoy at the club launch.

Fingal Swifts Special Olympics club began training in the sport of swimming in September 2009 and has grown steadily in numbers and confidence since then. There are now 22 registered athletes with an intellectual disability, and 24 volunteers from the local community who work hard every week to make the club a success.