Lakers Lap Up 24 Special Olympics Medals

The magnificent 18…

atest press release from Lakers Sports & Social Club, issued on Thursday, June 25th 2026…

Lakers Sports & Social Club is immensely proud to congratulate our 18 athletes who represented the club with determination, courage and outstanding sportsmanship at the 2026 Special Olympics Ireland Summer Games.

The Games officially got underway with a spectacular Opening Ceremony on Thursday, 18th June, welcoming over 1,200 athletes from across Ireland for a weekend of competition, friendship and celebration. Making the occasion even more special for Lakers, our President, Catherine Connolly, had the honour of addressing the athletes, families, volunteers and supporters, warmly welcoming everyone to this incredible celebration of inclusion through sport.

Among the 1,200 competitors were 18 outstanding Lakers athletes who had trained tirelessly for months in preparation for the Games. Throughout an exciting and demanding weekend of competition, each athlete demonstrated remarkable commitment, resilience and determination. They embraced every challenge with enthusiasm, represented Lakers with immense pride and delivered performances that reflected the countless hours of dedication they have invested in their training.

The weekend was filled with outstanding achievements, with Lakers athletes bringing home an incredible medal haul across six sports.

Congratulations to Our Athletes

Badminton
⦿ Brian Kennedy – Gold & Bronze
⦿ Amy Quinn – Silver & 4th Place Ribbon
⦿ Levi Clarke – Bronze
⦿ Kevin Moran – Bronze & 4th Place Ribbon
⦿ Donal O’Mahoney – 4th Place Ribbon

Football
⦿ Carl Tighe – Gold
⦿ Shane Nolan – Silver
⦿ Francis Mooney – Bronze
⦿ Graham O’Neill – Bronze
⦿ David Doyle – Bronze
⦿ Sean O’Regan – Bronze

Swimming
⦿ Una Hogan – Double Gold & Silver
⦿ Sadbh Wogan Murphy – Gold, Silver & 8th Place
⦿ Richard Tallon – Silver

Bowling
⦿ Rebecha McAuley – Singles Silver & Doubles Gold
⦿ Marian O’Rourke – Singles Bronze & Doubles Gold

Table Tennis
⦿ Nathan Tyrell – Singles Bronze

Athletics
⦿ Zoe O’Hanlon – Silver & Bronze

Collectively, our athletes returned home with an outstanding 7 Gold, 7 Silver and 10 Bronze medals, along with three 4th Place ribbons and one 8th Place finish—a remarkable achievement that reflects their hard work, determination and commitment.

While medals and placings are certainly worth celebrating, the true spirit of the Special Olympics lies in courage, perseverance, friendship and inclusion. Every one of our athletes embodied these values throughout the Games, supporting one another, celebrating each other’s successes and inspiring everyone who had the privilege of watching them compete.

Lakers Sports & Social Club would also like to extend its heartfelt thanks to our dedicated coaches, volunteers, families and supporters. Your encouragement, commitment and belief in our athletes make opportunities like these possible, and your support continues to empower our members to achieve their goals both on and off the field of play.

To our athletes — thank you for representing Lakers with such pride. You have inspired us all and have made your club, your families and your community incredibly proud.

Congratulations on an unforgettable Summer Games! Well done Team Lakers!

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