Eastern Region News

Meet Mei Lin Yap — a trailblazer for inclusion and perseverance. Awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by Trinity College Dublin, she becomes the first person in Ireland with an intellectual disability to receive this distinction. A champion swimmer, global competitor, and long-time volunteer with Special Olympics Ireland, Mei Lin continues inspiring others through advocacy, storytelling and unwavering optimism. Her journey shows that when inclusion, opportunity and belief come together, incredible things can happen. Read more about her story and how she’s shaping a more inclusive Ireland.

The Eastern Region golfers had an early start on Saturday November 1st as they took to the course at Grange Castle Golf Club for the final day of the Eastern Region Golf League. In a highly anticipated day for golfers and volunteers alike, over 25 athletes competed in the final from eight different clubs. An average of 27 players attended each day of the competition.

On Saturday 13th September, 2 of our Special Olympics Athletes from the Eastern Region took to the cold waters of the Liffey, Dublin, to battle it out among the hundreds of swimmers during the 105th Liffey Swim, hosted by Swim Ireland and Dublin City Council.

At the end of August 2025, Eastern Region Basketball Athlete, Ashwin Maliyakal, from Killester Basketball Club completed an Introductory Basketball referee course. This two-day course was run by Dublin Officials Association in ALSAA.

The Young Athletes Festival on Sat 7th June was an amazing celebration of the joy of movement, community, and potential.

On Thursday March 13th, D6 Special Olympics Club hosted a Golf Skills interclub day which took place in Milltown Golf Club, making for a fantastic day for all involved.

The Killester Men’s A basketball team travelled over to Wales during the weekend of 8th-9th March to take part in a highly competitive tournament in Cardiff.

Everyone at Special Olympics Eastern Region, and Special Olympics Ireland in general, would like to express our deepest gratitude to Adam Rochford as he moves on in his career.

Volunteering in Special Olympics is fulfilling, fascinating, and fun - promising new experiences, with plenty of support available. Take a moment to read about the experience of a first-time volunteer at an Eastern Region artistic gymnastic event to see what we mean!

Congratulations to Special Olympics Eastern Region legend Louise Grant who was a shortlisted finalist for the Energia Community Award at the HerSport Awards held at UCD Astra Hall on 25th January.

Join us in celebrating some of the amazing Eastern Region Athlete Leaders!

The Youth Festival at DCU and the National Basketball Arena was headed up by our Eastern Region, with the help of volunteers from Donabate Portrane Special Olympics Club!