To Italy with Love: Special Olympics Team Ireland Departs for the World Winter Games in Turin!
After a year of dedicated training, Special Olympics Team Ireland has officially set off for the 2025 World Winter Games in Turin, Italy!
Bright and early at 5.30 am the team were welcomed to Dublin Airport by Aer Lingus Ground Operations, Cabin Crew and Flight Operations teams before boarding Aer Lingus flight EI 432 to Milan.
The team’s journey to Turin was made even more special for floorball team member Joseph Sheehan, who celebrated his birthday mid-flight. The Aer Lingus crew and pilots surprised him with a birthday cake, starting his adventure in a very memorable way!
RTÉ covered the team’s travels and sendoff in a great news clip – view it here: RTÉ Sport on X: "A team of 14 are ready to proudly represent Ireland at the Special Olympics World Winter Games #RTEsport https://t.co/ewmThoa8Qq" / X
Newstalk broadcaster and Special Olympics supporter Henry McKean was also covering the event: https://x.com/HenryMcKean/status/1897981528778444905
Support and commitment
Meanwhile, support for Team Ireland has been pouring in from all quarters – including President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, and Minister for Sport and Postal Services Charlie McConalogue.
Aer Lingus, a proud partner of Special Olympics Ireland for over 25 years, has once again provided flights for the full delegation, demonstrating their long-standing commitment to supporting Irish athletes on the world stage.
Matt English, CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, highlighted the significance of this moment:
"This is the culmination of months of dedication, training, and teamwork. Our athletes have worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and we couldn’t be prouder of them. None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of their families, coaches, volunteers, and, of course, our longstanding partner Aer Lingus. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has played a role in getting Team Ireland to Turin."
Lynne Embleton, CEO, Aer Lingus, added: “We are immensely proud of the 14 athletes who will represent Ireland at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin. It’s a huge achievement for each individual athlete and the fantastic wider support team behind them to compete at this high level for their country. The whole of Aer Lingus is behind Team Ireland to wish them the best of luck on the slopes and on the court in Turin. It’s our pleasure to have the team on board with us and a real honour for our ground operations team, our pilots and our cabin crew to be part of their send off today.”
All eyes on Team Ireland
With competition kicking off in just a few days, all eyes will be on Team Ireland as they take to the court and slopes in pursuit of personal bests and podium finishes.
14 athletes will represent Ireland across two sports—Floorball and Alpine Skiing. The team’s eight Floorball players and six Alpine Skiers have put in months of preparation alongside their clubs and coaches to be ready for this moment.
Backing the athletes every step of the way is a dedicated group of 42 volunteers, who will be on the ground in Turin to support the team throughout the Games. Joining them will be 70 family members, travelling to cheer on their loved ones and bring a piece of home to the competition.
The Special Olympics World Winter Games, running from March 8th to 15th, will bring together over 3,125 athletes from 102 nations, competing across eight winter sports.
Check out photos from the Dublin Airport send-off here.
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You can also like and follow Team Ireland as they get ready to compete at the Special Olympics Turin World Winter Games journey on social media!
