.Brendan O’Connell, receiving a citation to mark his civic reception from Mayor of Kerry, Cllr Pat McCarthy. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
A TRALEE gold medal winner at the Special Olympics was awarded a civic reception at Kerry County Council buildings on Monday afternoon.
With family and the Kerry Stars Special Olympics team filling up the chamber, Brendan O’Connell, from Oakview was honoured for his gold medal and 4th place ribbon performances at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles during the Summer.
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Brendan landed gold in the 800m freestyle swimming event and was unlucky not to finish on the podium when he swam 1,500 metres in the open water event.
Speaking at the event, Brendan especially thanked his parents and his Kerry Stars teammates and mentors.
Mayor of Kerrry, Cllr Pat McCarthy, congratulated Brendan on his achievements; “It really, really is an unbelievable achievement” he said. “I know how difficult it is to win even a county championship, never mind how difficult it is to win a world title.”
A civic reception is the highest honour that a local authority can bestow on any individual or group of individuals in recognition of their achievements.
(click photo to enlarge) Brendan O’Connell, with family, friends, Special Olympics club teammates and councillors and at his civic repeption at Kerry Council Buildings on Monday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
.Special Olympian, Brendan O’Connell with his grandmother, Bridie and well wishers at his homecoming in the Meadowlands Hotel. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
A TRALEE gold medal winner got a hero’s welcome home last night.
There were joyous scenes when Oakview man, Brendan O’Connell, returned home with the gold medal and 4th place ribbon he won at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
The Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club member, landed gold in the 800m freestyle swimming event last Saturday and was unlucky not to finish on the podium when he swam 1,500 metre open water event last week.
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It’s been an incredible few weeks for Brendan and his family, but the man himself is still glad to be back on home soil.
“As I said to the guy who put the medal around my neck ‘yeah, I get to go home now!’,” said Brendan.
The over 100 strong welcome party at the Medowlands hotel was organised by The Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club. In total, Ireland brought home 82 medals from L.A.
“I’m a little bit shocked because I wasn’t expecting this at all, although I probably should have known this was going to happen,” he said.
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.Speacial Olympian, Brendan O’Connell, who won a gold medal and a 4th place ribbon at the Special Olympics in Los Angelos. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
Mother, Elizabeth O’Connell, was overjoyed by the reception at the Meadowlands Hotel.
“It was such a shock when we came around the corner, oh my gosh this is unbelievable!” said Elizabeth..
“Brendan really and truly put his heart and soul into it. For us as parents, watching the swim seemed to go on forever, but he kept a lovely pace, he was amazing, we are so proud of him.”
“He trained, really, really, hard so it was lovely to see it pay off for him,” she added.
To win gold in the 800m, Brendan shattered his previous best time 27 seconds, swimming 32 lengths of the pool in 11 minutes. Although with no one around him coming into the home stretch, he was unsure how well he was doing.
“When I was in the last two lengths, I remember breathing to the right and thinking, ‘uh-oh, there’s no one around me I’m either really far ahead or really far behind!'” he said.
“When I got to the wall and touched it, I thought someone had got their before me and I had come second, It’s only when someone told me I’d won, I knew,” he added.
So with an Olympic gold medal in the back pocket what’s next for the L.A King of Oakpark?
“I’m going to chill out for the next few days and that’s it,” Brendan said.
See a short video of his homecoming at the Meadowlands and more photos below…
Special Olympian, Brendan O’Connell and family, with the gold medal and 4th place ribbon he won at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles, from left: Bridie, Claire, Michael Jr, Michael, Brendan, Elizabeth, James and Jia O’Connell. Front row, Aisling and Aoife O’Connell. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.Some of the crowd that waited Brendan O’Connell arrival outside the Meadowlands Hotel. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.Brendan O’Connell with his mother Elizabeth and sister Claire. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
A TRALEE man has won a Gold Medal at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
Brendan O’Connell from Oakpark won in the 800m freestyle event today.
Yesterday the 29 year old Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club member, from the Oakview area performed well in the 1,500 metre open water swimming event, but sadly just missed out on the medals.
Today though, he enjoyed glory. Well done Brendan!
.Brendan O’Connell secured the fourth place ribbon at the Special Olympic World Games in LA recently.
THERE was to be no medal this time around for Tralee man Brendan O’Connell after he secured a fourth place ribbon at the Special Olympics World Games currently taking place in Los Angeles.
The 29 year old Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club member, from the Oakview area performed excellently in the 1,500 metre open water swimming event, but sadly just missed out on taking home a coveted medal.
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He formed part of the Irish Aquatics Delegation and was the sole representative from Kerry competing for Team Ireland and was no doubt an experienced veteran of the team, having already claimed one Special Olympics Gold Medal back at the 2006 Games.
Brendan will no doubt still be out and about cheering on his fellow athletes taking part in the rest of the Games.
Brendan O’Connell will be competing in the 1500m swim event at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles in July. Photo by Gvain O’Connor.
A TRALEE man is today making his way to Los Angeles (LA) to take part in the Special Olympics World Games.
Twenty-nine year old Brendan O’Connell is heading over as part of the Irish Aquatics Delegation and is the sole representative from Kerry that will be competing for Team Ireland.
The ‘Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club’ member will be taking part in the 1500m swim event at the Games, which are all set to be officially launched by Michelle Obama this coming Saturday.
Brendan will be hoping for more Olympic success again this time around, having already claimed one Special Olympics Gold Medal back at the 2006 Games.
Best of luck to Brendan and all of Team Ireland in the games.
