Events & Games
An Event is a single day sports competition that involves athletes from several clubs accompanied by their coaches, gathering in one location with the primary aim of participating in that specific sports competition. Numerous events take place in all regions each year.
A Games is a multi day sports competition held on a residential basis involving a number of sports. It can incorporate many different venues and usually has other aspects such as entertainment, cultural and educational activities. Games take place less frequently than Events. They usually only occur once or twice every few years. The last Games held in Ireland was the 2010 Special Olympics Ireland Games which was held in Limerick and the most recent international Games was the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Athens, Greece.
What is the aim of the events and games programme?
Our aim is to build on the excellent work which has been done by volunteers and work together to further develop how our events are planned and managed. It is very important to ensure a consistent high quality and successful event regardless of the sport or location. A successful event is one that:
- offers quality competition, facilities and services to participating athletes, coaches, family members and spectators
- is safe for all in attendance
- runs efficiently and on time
- results in a positive experience for athletes, their coaches, family members, volunteers, spectators and all involved
Who organises events?
All our events are primarily planned and managed by volunteers. Moving forward our aim is that every Special Olympics event will have an Event Management Team. This applies regardless of the sport, the venue, the number of participants or stage in the advancement cycle. Each individual on the team will have their specific role and responsibilities but it is the team as a whole who will organise and deliver the event.