Friends,
As 2003 draws to a close it is time for us all to look back on the past twelve months and take stock. We will all have mixed emotions, good days, bad days, happy moments and sad times but hopefully everyone will have taken something positive from the year.
Like the rest of humanity I endured the ups and downs of life but the abiding memory I will carry forward from 2003 is of the Special Olympics. It left memories that will stay with me forever, it was a pleasure to have experienced the greatest gathering of people this country has ever seen and the people, the fun and the friendships will live on long after other things fade from the memory.
As a disabled person I took special interest in the organisation and running of the games and was very proud to host an athlete and coach from the Luxembourg delegation during their stay in the Newport/Westport area. Taking an athlete meant welcoming them into my home, becoming part of their effort and sharing firsthand their success and disappointment. It also meant that I would be playing a critical role in contributing to the nationwide effort of hosting and running the games. Been disabled myself I felt I was up to the challenge. In a space of a few days, people who arrived, as strangers would become friends.
Sam Mayerus, who was the captain of the Bocce team and his coach Geoffrey Bourdouxhe arrived in my home in the early hours of June 15th last. Sam had very little English but was delighted to be sharing a house with someone like himself who was confined to a wheelchair.
The following morning they woke to the sounds of sheep, dogs and cattle but when they pulled the curtains they were greeted by the sight of trees, mountains and even wild weeds and they thought they were in heaven as they were both from built up areas and weren’t used to the scenery Newport had to offer.
I tried to give them a bit of my knowledge of the Irish heritage. One typical day began with a traditional breakfast at 9.30am. At 10am I had laid on an interview with Tommy Marren of NWR. The coach spoke with Tommy about the sport of Bocce before we headed off to bowling in Castlebar. A meal followed and then a scenic tour of Curraune and Achill Island. Back to Westport for a meal and when we got home I showed them a game of Gaelic football that I had on tape. It was a semi-final GAA match between Mayo and Cork.
The official opening of the Games in Croke Park, which I attended, was something I will never forget. Then the games itself which I supported as much as I could were very well organised and the beauty of it was that a book could be written about every athlete.
Hosting the Athletes would not have been as successful without the great back-up team there was here in Mayo. So many people worked hard to ensure everything ran smoothly. The people who gave me linen for the beds, flowers and home-made bread, the team that erected the flags outside my house and those who called and made Sam and Geoffrey feel so welcome can be very proud of their contribution.
A special word of thanks to the Woods Hotel in Westport for allowing the team to train there, in particular to Margaret Mulchrone, Corporate Marketing Executive of the hotel for her kindness. To Staunton’s Sport Shop in Westport in sponsoring a Mayo football jersey and to C/C Cellular in Rosbeg, Westport for also sponsoring mobile phone components. To the Order of Malta who were always on standby while the team trained in the Hotel. Not forgetting Sean Geraghty with his specially adapted van who was always only a phone call away and Ann Kelly-Hoban who made sure the guests had a change of linen every night. Not forgetting the magnificent hamper provided by Tesco’s to everyone who hosted an athlete. Everyone played a part to make the whole experience one that will be remembered through the mists of time
I spent many good days with the Luxembourg team but one day stands out above all the others. It was on Friday 27th June when attending the games in Simmonscourt I was introduced to Eunice Kennedy Smith, the founder member of the Special Olympics. Later I was introduced to H.R.H. the Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa and the Sports Minister Mne Anne Brasseur of Luxembourg. I was introduced as an adopted son from Ireland to Luxembourg. She thanked me for the good work I had done and was a good Ambassador for Newport/Westport. We spoke for a few minutes about the two countries and what they had in common. She was full of praise for the Irish business people who had set up in their capital of Luxembourg.
I pointed out to her that the athletes were very friendly, gentle and kind and it was a pleasure to have them in my house. A TV crew from Luxembourg recorded all this and their journalist took notes.
To cap it all I was invited to a reception on the 27th June 2003 in honour of their team. The reception was held at the Exhibition area of the University Industry Centre, UCD, Belfield. The Consul of Luxembourg in Ireland and the Ambassador of Luxembourg in London also attended it.
I felt very proud when I was presented with a special €10 and €5 coins specially minted by the Bank of Ireland who were the main sponsors for the games. The games are now over, but hopefully their legacy will remain in Ireland. People from all over the world will have watched our example and will have helped to influence Special Olympics programmes all over the world. So all in all I felt happy, as the feedback I got was that they had an enjoyable 5 days and nights in Newport.
Now as we face into a new year I hope that we can carry the spirit of the Special Olympics with us in our daily lives and that will be a fitting testament to the greatest sporting event ever to take place in our country.
Modern technology (The computer) means that we can keep in touch with one another.

Yours truly,

Tom Chambers
"The Billy Ranch"
Newport
Co. Mayo.
E-mail: thomaschambers@eircom.net




Sam Mayerus (athlete) and captain of the Luxembourg Bocce Team and Geoffrey Bourdouxhe arrived at 00.15am on the 15th June last. After exchanging presents and a few minutes on the computer to send e-mails home they went to bed. Sam had very little English but was delighted to be sharing a house with someone like himself confined to a wheelchair.
I woke them as 8.00am to the noise of sheep, dogs and cattle, but when they pulled the curtains and looked out to see trees, mountains and even wild weeds they thought it was heaven. As they had come from a built-up area they were not expecting scenery like this.
Taking an athlete means welcoming them into ones home, you become part of their effort, sharing firsthand their success and disappointment. It also meant that I would be playing a critical role in contributing to the towns and country. Been disabled myself I felt I was up to the challenge. In a space of a few days’ people who arrived as strangers would become friends.
A lot of words have been spoken about the athletes and what it means to the disabled. Words can open doors, but they can just as easily create barriers.
I tried to give them a bit of my knowledge of the Irish heritage. One typical day was getting up to a traditional breakfast at 9.30am. At 10.00am I had laid on an interview with Tommy Marren of NWR. The coach spoke with Tommy about the sport Bocce. Then off to bowling in Castlebar. A meal and then a scenic tour of Curraune and Achill Island. Back to Westport for a meal and when we got home I showed them a game of our National sport. It was a semi-final GAA match between Mayo and Cork.
The official opening of the Games in Croke Park, which I attended, was something I will never forget. Then the games itself which I supported as much as I could were very well organised and the beauty of it was that a book could be written about every athlete.
Hosting the Athletes could not be as successible without the support of a good committee. Also the people who gave me linen for the beds, flowers and home made bread and the team for erecting the flags outside my house. The people who called and made them welcome.
A special word of thanks to the Woods Hotel in Westport for allowing the team to train in particular to Margaret Mulchrone, Corporate Marketing Executive of the hotel for her kindness. To Staunton’s Sport Shop in Westport in sponsoring a Mayo football jersey and to C/C Cellular in Rosbeg, Westport for also sponsoring mobile phone components. To the Order of Malta who were always on standby while the team trained in the Hotel. Not forgetting Sean Geraghty with his specially adapted van who was always only a phone call away and Ann Kelly-Hoban who made sure the guests had a change of linen every night.

Above all the good days I spent with the Luxembourg team one day must stand out. It was on Friday 27th June when attending the games in Simmonscourt I was introduced to Eunice Kennedy Smith, the founder member of the Special Olympics. Later I was introduced to H.R.H. the Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa and the Sports Minister Mne Anne Brasseur. I was introduced as an adopted son from Ireland to Luxembourg. She thanked me for the good work I had done and was a good Ambassador for Newport/Westport. We spoke for a few minutes about the two countries and what they had in common. She was full of praise for the Irish business people who had set up in their capital of Luxembourg.
I pointed out to her that the athletes were very friendly, gentle and kind and it was a pleasure to have them in my house. A TV crew from Luxembourg recorded all this and their journalist took notes.
To cap it all I was invited to a reception on the 27th June 2003 in honour of their team. The reception was held at the Exhibition area of the University Industry Centre, UCD, Belfield. The Consul of Luxembourg in Ireland and the Ambassador of Luxembourg in London also attended it.
I felt very proud when I was presented with a special €10 and €5 coins specially minted by the Bank of Ireland who were the main sponsors for the games. The games are now over, but hopefully their legacy will remain in Ireland. People from all over the world will have watched our example and will have helped to influence Special Olympics programmes all over the world.
So all in all I felt happy, as the feedback I got was that they had an enjoyable 5 days and nights.

Yours truly,

Tom Chambers
"The Billy Ranch"
Newport
Co. Mayo.
E-mail: thomaschambers@eircom.net