Aer Lingus has released photographs of the Special Olympics Team Ireland departing for the 2025 World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, after extensive training.
The team consists of 14 athletes participating in Floorball and Alpine Skiing, with strong support from 42 volunteers and 70 family members accompanying them.
The World Winter Games will take place from March 8th to 15th, featuring over 3,125 athletes from 102 nations competing in eight sports.
Joseph Sheehan, a member of the Floorball team, celebrated his birthday during the flight, receiving a surprise birthday cake from the Aer Lingus crew.
Aer Lingus continues its 25-year partnership with Special Olympics Ireland by providing flights for Team Ireland, showcasing its commitment to supporting athletes on a global platform.
Matt English, CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, shared: “This is the culmination of months of dedication, training, and teamwork. Our athletes have worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and we couldn’t be prouder of them. None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of their families, coaches, volunteers, and, of course, our longstanding partner Aer Lingus. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has played a role in getting Team Ireland to Turin.”
Lynne Embleton, CEO, Aer Lingus, shared: “We are immensely proud of the 14 athletes who will represent Ireland at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin. It’s a huge achievement for each individual athlete and the fantastic wider support team behind them to compete at this high level for their country. The whole of Aer Lingus is behind Team Ireland to wish them the best of luck on the slopes and on the court in Turin. It’s our pleasure to have the team on board with us and a real honour for our ground operations team, our pilots and our cabin crew to be part of their send off today.”
