Volunteer heroes celebrated at the 2024 Special Olympics Ireland Volunteer Awards
The 2024 Special Olympics Ireland Volunteer Awards was a celebration of the beating heart of Special Olympics. Without the contributions of volunteers in clubs and at events year-round, our mission to transform lives through sport wouldn’t be possible.
The event, held at the Crowne Plaza Santry on 14 September, saw veteran sports broadcaster Gráinne McElwain reprising her role as MC from the 2023 Awards. The gathered guests were addressed by athlete and previous Youth Award winner Rebecca Nolan, Special Olympics Ireland Volunteer Manager Claire O’Connor, and Special Olympics Ireland CEO Matt English.
The Volunteer Awards underscore the impact and importance of volunteering in the work of Special Olympics Ireland, with the award winners illustrating how transformative and life-changing the experience has been.
Special Olympics Ireland extends an invitation to all those interested in helping transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through sport to get involved as volunteers. For more information on how to become a Special Olympics Ireland volunteer, please visit https://www.specialolympics.ie/volunteer/becoming-a-volunteer
Photos from the 2024 Awards can be viewed here.
Find out about the recipients of the Awards below:
Ireland Winter Games Award - Des Grealis
Des Grealis, from Athlone Special Olympics Club in the Connaught Region, won this Award for his service as Team Connaught Chaperone at the Ireland Winter Games 2024.
Leader of Volunteers Award - Karen Roland
Karen Roland received this award for her service with Team South Galway Special Olympics Club, in the Connaught Region.
Most Innovative Club Award - Athlone Special Olympics Club
Athlone Special Olympics Club, in the Connaught Region, received this award in recognition of their innovative and proactive approach.
Positive Influence Award - Paddy Cahill
Paddy Cahill received this award for his service with Carlow Special Olympics Club in the Leinster Region.
Spirit of Special Olympics Award - Ellie McGregor
Ellie McGregor received her award for her service with Eager Belvoirs Club in the Ulster Region.
Munster Region Volunteer Award - Owen Kelly
Owen Kelly received his award for his services as an Event Volunteer in Cork, Munster Region.
Munster Youth Volunteer Award - Caoilinn Lynch
Caoilinn Lynch received her award for her service in Skellig Stars Special Olympics Club in the Munster Region.
Leinster Region Volunteer Award - Etta Hayes
Etta Hayes received her award for her services in the Leinster Region with Pitfield and Laochra Laoise as Equestrian Head Coach.
Leinster Youth Volunteer Award - Rebecca Goss
Rebecca Goss received her award for her service with Dundalk Special Olympics Club in the Leinster Region.
Eastern Region Volunteer Award - Lorraine Bracken
Lorraine Bracken received her award for service in the Eastern Region with the Palmerstown Wildcats and as an Events Volunteer.
Eastern Youth Volunteer Award - Helen MacMahon
Helen MacMahon received her award for her service with South Dublin Special Olympics Club in the Eastern Region.
Ulster Region Volunteer Award - Nicky McDermott
Nicky McDermott received her award for her service with .North West Special Olympics Club in the Ulster Region.
Ulster Youth Volunteer Award - Eimear Savage
Eimear Savage received her award for her service with Newry Allstars Special Olympics Club in the Ulster Region.
Connaught Region Volunteer Award - Máire Allen (Posthumous award)
This posthumous award to Máire Allen recognised her tireless service with Roscommon Special Olympics Club and as Connaught Regional chair.
The award was collected by Máire's husband and son, and presented by Myra Merrick, Director of Special Olympics Connaught Region.
Connaught Youth Volunteer Award - Ornagh Nyland
Ornagh Nyland received her award for her service with Tuam Headford Special Olympics Club in the Connaught Region.
Special Contribution Awards - Mary Shiels and Paddy Duffy
Mary Shiels of the Munster Region received the Special Contribution Award in recognition of her service at Rostemple, Ormond and Limerick City Regional and International Events.
Paddy Duffy of the Ulster Region received the Special Contribution Award in recognition of his service at Regional and International Events.
Distinguished Service Award - Antoinette Campbell
Antoinette has been a dedicated volunteer with Special Olympics since 2002, beginning her involvement with the Ireland World Summer Games, where her exceptional skills quickly became apparent.
Her passion for sports and her commitment to supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities have driven her to take on numerous roles over the years, including Staging Coordinator, Awards Coordinator, Event Manager, Competition Manager, Officiating, and Tutor. She has played integral roles in sports planning and competition management for multiple Ireland Games, and represented Special Olympics Ireland at the World Games in Berlin in 2023 as the Families Coordinator.
She currently serves as the Basketball Coordinator for the Leinster region, where she demonstrated remarkable vision by establishing Basketball Leagues. This initiative provides players with more frequent opportunities to compete locally. Additionally, she is an active member of the Leinster League Committee, which ensures a robust program of events for various league sports, including Bocce, Basketball, Bowling, Floorball, and Equestrian.
Antoinette's invaluable contributions to the sport, the region, and the organisation are evident in the numerous athletes she supports both domestically and internationally. Her hard work and commitment have left a lasting impact on the Special Olympics community.
Her significant time commitment and meticulous attention to detail in all her roles highlight her dedication and exceptional contributions to the Special Olympics programme.
Distinguished Service Award - Claire Kennedy
Claire was Special Olympics Ireland’s first Volunteer Manager, a role she took on in a voluntary capacity during the early 90s. Her role was to recruit, train and assign volunteers to run the bi-annual Ireland Games. Manual records and recruitment phone calls were the order of the day! Claire worked hard to grow the volunteer numbers, linking with various other organisation and companies, building strong relationships with the likes of the Prison Services, Scouting Ireland and Telecom Éireann (now eir). She excelled in recognising the volunteers and building a commitment and loyalty that saw the volunteers remain in the programme for many years.
Claire has served as Volunteer Coordinator for numerous Ireland Games, and was appointed to the management team of Team Ireland that attended the European Special Olympics Summer Games 1990 in Glasgow.
Claire, alongside fellow volunteer Dervila O’Mahony, undertook the organisation and development of the Torch Run Programme and led this programme in Ireland up to 2000. The aim of the programme at that time was to raise awareness and much needed funds. In particular, she was instrumental to the success of the Torch Run in 1996, when it crossed the border for the first time. In 1996, 1998 and 2002 Ireland Games, Claire managed the Torch Run that would take place the week before each of the Games.
With increased awareness and potential for growth, Claire was asked by then CEO Mary Davis, to help set up community sports clubs – a new concept in the early 1990s. Claire set up the first community club in Harold’s Cross, which was followed shortly afterward with the establishment of Bray Lakers, now Lakers.
In 2002, Claire secured a secondment from her civil servant role to work full-time on the 2003 World Games. Her vast experience working on Torch Runs and liaising with the police services, north and south, made her an ideal person to work as Torch Run Manager for the 2003 World Summer Games in Ireland. Following on from the success of the Games, and a return to her normal day job, Claire was elected in 2005 to be the first Chairperson of the newly-formed Eastern Region. She chaired the emerging region and served on the Board of Directors from 2005 to 2010.
Distinguished Service Award - Dervila O’Mahony
Dervila has been a volunteer with Special Olympics Ireland since 1985 when she hosted a family for the first ever European Games which were held in Dublin and volunteered at those Games. From that initial sign up to help out, Dervila took on key organisational roles across the all-island programme that have contributed to the growth and development of the programme.
Dervila’s involvement in founding community sports clubs led on to a growth in family involvement and a need to reach out and communicate with families. Dervila set up the first ever National Families Committee in 1992 and coordinated the Family Programme in its initial years. She brought on board many new family members who continue to be involved to this day. She was appointed the Family Coordinator for Team Ireland at the 1995 World Games in Connecticut, USA. She also coordinated a very successful campaign in 1994 to attract new athletes – Each One Reach One – where families were encouraged to reach out to new families and new athletes.
Dervila served on the Management Team of Special Olympics Ireland in the 1990s, as the Family Coordinator. This team oversaw the development and implementation of programmes and it was made up of key volunteers working with the then-small staff team.
Dervila played an instrumental role in the coordination of Ireland Games in 1991, 1993, 1996 1998 and in 2002. She attended the 1999 World Summer Games Observer Programme in support of SO Ireland’s bid to host the 2003 World Games.
In 2001, Dervila secured a secondment from Bank of Ireland to work full-time on the 2003 World Games where her attention to logistics, operations and detail were suitably matched to being the Venue Manager for the RDS Venue that hosted 5 sports during the Games.
Post -Games, Dervila was appointed to the Board of Directors and served from 2008 to 2014. Alongside her national programme involvement, Dervila and a few family members set up the Blackrock Flyers Special Olympics Club in 1993.Today it caters for up to 100 athletes who train in 4 different sports.
Dervila continues to this day to coach basketball in her club and the team participates each year in the annual Eastern Region Basketball League. The club marked their 30th Anniversary earlier this year.
