Tag Archives: abu dhabi

WARM tributes have been made to an East Clare native whose charm and generosity touched all who knew her, and whose sporting abilities earned her a medal at the Special Olympics World Games last year. Mairéad Moroney of Gort Road, Ennis, and formerly of Kealderra, O’Callaghan’s Mills, passed away earlier this month, just a few weeks before her 71st birthday. A champion golfer, Mairéad made history last year, as the oldest contestant – and medal winner – at the World Games in Abu Dhabi. Along with her playing partner Jean Molony, she took picked up silver medals in the Level 2 Alternate Shot Team Play in March of last year. Despite the fact that she had only a few years of play under her belt, Mairéad earned a place on Team Ireland, and was unfazed when she discovered she was the oldest of an estimated 7,500 global competitors. She and Jean were among four high-achieving athletes honoured with a Civic …

AT the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, Team Ireland got off to a great start with Ennis girl Emma Barrett winning a gold for the 25m freestyle relay team. The team also featured Damien Breslin, Offaly; Chelsea Phillips, Roscommon and Edel Armstrong, Dublin. The games officially got under way at a spectacular Opening Ceremony at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium, the largest stadium in the United Arab Emirates. Team Ireland were walked out by Irish representatives including Brendan Whelan, Chairman of Special Olympics Ireland and Shane Ross, Minister of Transport, Tourism and Sport, during the celebratory parade which featured a number of international celebrities including singer and Special Olympics global ambassador, Nicole Scherzinger. This is a huge year for Special Olympics Ireland and the 91 athletes who have travelled to Abu Dhabi to compete as part of Team Ireland, with athletes having been selected after four years of training competition. Supported by a volunteer management …

Alright, whose bright idea was in to launch Audi’s first electric car in the oil state of Abu Dhabi? Either someone was having a laugh or there was a real sense of irony behind the choice. I’ve never been to the United Arab Emirates, or indeed anywhere near this part of the world, so it was quite a culture shock to see the city for the first time. Everywhere you go, you can see signs of serious money having being spent. You get the impression that if you came back again in five years, any scrap of desert you see would have another skyscraper built on it. The Sheikh Zayed Mosque, in the heart of the city, in my view is one of the wonders of the world. Completed only 2007, it contains €30 billion of white marble and if you ever get the chance to see it, grab it with both hands. Now, we’ve seen many Audi e-trons at …

BALLYEA are flying high in the club hurling championship but another Ballyea native, Niamh Kelly, has enjoyed her own taste of success, after being selected as the 2017 Abu Dhabi Rose, destined for the Rose of Tralee festival from August 16 to 22. A farmer’s daughter, Niamh started a nursing degree at University of Limerick in 2009, after which she moved to London, before heading to the Middle East in July 2016. Niamh will be among the 65 Roses from Ireland and Irish communities around the globe who will travel to Kerry for the seven-day festival. “I am a proud Clare woman, who can be found reciting The Banner Roar whenever the opportunity presents itself. My main loves are sports, fashion, travelling the world with my best friends, Irish music and craic and keeping up with my 94-year-old grandad on Skype. “I’m looking forward to representing the Irish community in Abu Dhabi and my family from Clare at the Rose …