The biggest sporting event in the world this year will open tonight at Croke Park in Dublin when a capacity crowd will welcome athletes and their delegations from more than 160 countries for the Special Olympic Games.
This showcase event will be the culmination of three years of planning and it will set the scene for the various competitions, involving about 7,000 athletes, at 28 venues. The coming week will bring joy to many - athletes, coaches and proud families - as we celebrate effort, courage and achievement and the fellowship of sport. But, inevitably, there will be some disappointments.
In recent days, several hundred thousand people have turned out to see the Special Olympics flame pass through their localities. At the same time, ordinary people in more than 170 Host Towns have opened their homes to foreign athletes, raised money and arranged cultural and social events in a vibrant demonstration of a traditional Irish céad míle fáilte. There has been a huge outpouring of enthusiasm and effort in preparation for the coming week. Some 30,000 Irish volunteers have undertaken intensive training and they will be present at the various sporting venues during the coming week to make sure everything runs smoothly. The unstinting commitment and enthusiasm of all concerned has created a wonderful and caring atmosphere.
The Special Olympics have provided an opportunity to increase awareness within the general population of the talents and abilities of people with learning disabilities. A major international survey has shown we have much to learn in that regard. The Games were founded on the belief that these athletes can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports. The occasion also creates a framework within which athletes and their families can enjoy an unparalleled sporting and cultural experience. When the Games end, it would be a wonderful legacy if the needs of people with a range of mobility, sensory, learning and other disabilities were accorded a higher priority on this island. At present, many find it hard to access goods and services in their daily lives and to achieve their potential because of attitudinal and environmental obstacles. Positive action can eliminate many such difficulties and make life more rewarding for all.
The Games are not just about winning, although taking gold will be the aspiration of most athletes who compete. They are about friendship. About meeting people. About community. About expanding horizons and doing your best. The Games are about what make us caring humans. As Brian Friel writes in the commemorative programme 'the medals that Special Olympics athletes will take home are true emblems of what they were originally intended to be: tokens attesting to huge personal courage and dedication, not chips to be converted into fame and huge fortunes.' So, let the Games begin. And let the generosity of spirit that has been so evident throughout the country in recent days continue to inform our outlook on life.