AN event will be held next month to honour the “trailblazing” athletes who represented Ireland at the early Paralympic Games.
First founded in 1960, where they were held in Rome, Italy, the sporting competition has been held every four years ever since.
UnParalleled: A Celebration of Ireland’s Paralympic Past will celebrate the achievements of Irish athletes who took part in the first six competitions.
They were Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964, Tel Aviv 1968, Heidelberg 1972, Toronto 1976 and Arnhem 1980.
Paralympics Ireland have called for Ireland’s first Paralympians to come forward (Pic: Paralympics Ireland)Paralympics Ireland will host a commemorative event in March to pay tribute to the athletes that competed in those games.
“Paralympics Ireland is proud to announce UnParalleled: A Celebration of Ireland’s Paralympic Past, a commemorative event dedicated to recognising and honouring Ireland’s earliest Paralympians,” they said in a statement this week.
The organisation, which is the National Paralympic Committee for Ireland, has issued a callout for those athletes to come forward as well as their family, friends and supporters.
“Paralympics Ireland is seeking to connect with Paralympians who competed between 1960 and 1980, as well as family members, friends, or representatives of athletes from this era, to ensure they are included and acknowledged as part of this historic celebration,” they said.
“Anyone who represented Ireland at the Paralympic Games during this period or who has information that may help identify or contact athletes from this era is encouraged to get in touch.”
UnParalleled will take place in Dublin next month, the organisers confirm.
“It will include reflections from athletes, formal recognition, and an opportunity for the Paralympics Ireland community to come together in appreciation of its early trailblazers,” they add.
“It will bring together athletes who represented Ireland at the Paralympic Games between 1960 and 1980, formally acknowledging their contribution to the foundations of Ireland’s Paralympic movement and their role in shaping the pathway for future generations.”
Further events will follow honouring athletes from the remaining Games, a Paralympics Ireland spokesperson confirmed.
To make contact email [email protected].