the Special Olympics Ireland the real story

Special Olympics Ireland holds its National Collection Day once a year—a cheerful public event with volunteers in brightly coloured bibs, shaking buckets outside shops and supermarkets. Passersby drop coins in with a smile, reassured that they’ve “done their part.”

But behind that single day of visibility lies a hidden truth: our athletes are paying out nearly every month. Monthly fees, travel expenses, kit contributions—and then there's the yearly membership fee of around €100, just to walk through the club’s doors.

For someone like Josephine, that wasn’t just a number. That was dinners skipped, snacks rationed, coins counted.

I still remember the day she quietly told me, “I didn’t eat yesterday so I could pay Friday’s training fee.” She said it like it was nothing—like it was normal. And for her, by then, it was.

She never complained. Not to the coaches, not to her teammates, and certainly not to the club officials. The pride she felt about being part of the club was stronger than the hunger in her stomach. But I saw it. I saw what it cost her—not just in euros, but in dignity. In choices no one should have to make just to belong somewhere.

And it wasn’t just the athletes. Volunteers too—many of whom gave up evenings and weekends—were often expected to cover their own travel, training, and meals, sometimes even buying uniforms out of pocket. The message was unspoken but clear: if you wanted to be part of the Special Olympics family, you paid your way in.

After major events like the World Games or the All-Ireland Games, things got even harder. Budgets would tighten, fees would quietly go up, and promises of future support would fade into silence. The photos would be posted online. The medals counted. But back home, athletes and volunteers were left rationing meals, scraping by just to stay involved in the thing that once gave them purpose.

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Shadows Behind the Medals at Special Olympics Ireland

Overview: The book weaves together deeply personal experiences, focusing on friendships, loss, and the challenges faced by those involved in the Special Olympics community, particularly in Ireland. It highlights the struggles of athletes, volunteers, and supporters, showcasing both the positive impact of the Special Olympics as well as its darker sides, such as financial strain, limited support, and the way its operations sometimes create rifts in personal relationships. --- Key Themes & Events: 1. The Tragic House Fire in Bray (2005): The story begins with a personal tragedy: a house fire in Bray that claims the life of the protagonist's (you) friend's father, William. This devastating event leaves William homeless for several months as his house is repaired. During this time, your close friendship with William and his best friend, Josephine, forms the backbone of the narrative. Josephine divides her time between Bray and Dublin, supporting both you and William as they nav...
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Chapter 1: The Tragic House Fire In December 2005, the small town of Bray was shaken by a devastating house fire that claimed the life of Billy Riggs, a local pensioner. The fire, believed to have been caused by a chip pan, engulfed his home on Greenpark Road, leaving his son, William, and a family friend in shock. Despite their attempts to escape, Billy could not be saved, and he was later pronounced dead at St Colmcille's Hospital. William, just 26 years old at the time, was left homeless and struggling with the loss of his father. The tragedy set in motion a series of events that would forever change the lives of those involved. One of the people most affected by this was Josephine, William's best friend and former schoolmate from New Court School in Bray. Josephine, along with others, became a crucial part of William's support system during the difficult months that followed the fire. --- Chapter 2: A Support System Josephine, who had been William's closest friend, ...
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This book tells the deeply personal and previously untold story of what happened behind the scenes of Special Olympics Ireland, focusing especially on the Wicklow club. At the heart of the story is a powerful friendship — between you and Josephine — and how it was slowly eroded by an organisation that claimed to support athletes, but often ended up isolating, controlling, and financially burdening them instead. The story begins in the early 2000s, with the tragic house fire in Bray in December 2005 that killed William’s father, Billy Riggs. Josephine, William’s best friend and schoolmate from New Court School, and you, offered William support during this dark time. Josephine travelled between Bray and Dublin, spending Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in Bray, and the rest of the week in your home, where she had her own key since 2003. These were years of deep friendship, emotional support, shared meals, DVDs, and TV nights — and building a quiet refuge from the world. Over time, howeve...
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