Walking through arrivals at Dublin airport, Wexford duo Jenna Carty and Tadhg O’Shaugnessy were greeted by a hero’s welcome. Flashing cameras, television crews and a sea of green with homemade posters, the pair most definitely had something to declare as they passed through customs, proudly showing off their hard-earned medals from the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.
Representing one’s country on the world stage is not something that many of us get to experience. However, two Wexford athletes are set to do just that as they fly out to Berlin next month to represent Ireland at the Special Olympics World Games.
Wexford Special Olympics Club is in the midst of organising a number of fundraisers both towards ongoing training and the costs of sending athletes to the Special Olympics World Games in Germany in June.
If you listen carefully, at the shed to the rear of the Berry house in Ferndale Park, you ll hear the whirring of furious pedalling. Take a look inside and you ll find Neil Berry in the saddle, drenched in sweat as he pedals and pedals over hours and hours. The reason is, despite not being able to leave his shed, Neil is actually cycling the infamous Tour De France route, and he s doing it all for a great cause.
A massive cycling enthusiast, Neil has set up a turbo roller/resistance trainer in the shed, allowing him to cycle while stationary. He has the whole route planned out just like the legendary cycling event and can increase and decrease the resistance to mimic the mountain/sprint stages etc. A mammoth undertaking, Neil is nearing the midway point of 21 race days, with just two rest days in between, covering a whopping 3,400km.all from his shed!