Shoot ‘N’ Stars have questions for quiz night
Síofra Grant
This week the Mullingar-based Special Olympics club, Shoot ‘N’ Stars Club host their annual table quiz to help fund their participation in the upcoming games.
Bernie Corroon, club volunteer, said there has been a great response. “It’s really our one fundraising event we do each year and it’s a fun night. The community is fantastic at supporting us each year,” she said, “We have lots of prizes.”
“We get a great crowd and the Annebrook are so good, they provide food, and the staff are very helpful on the night.
“We’ll be hoping for a big turnout.”
Twelve Shoot ‘N’ Stars athletes have qualified for the Special Olympics All Ireland Games this summer, and have been training consistently.
“We train every Tuesday night at basketball, and every Saturday at swimming, and we have one footballer who trains on a Monday night,” said Bernie.
“They’re training all year round. This is year three of a four-year programme to qualify for Dublin – they have to win in the area games, and then the regional games. So it’s a huge achievement that a lot of the athletes get to go to the All Ireland Games.”
The Games are o June 18-21.
“It’s a huge event. It will be the biggest sporting event of the year in Ireland this year.”
The table quiz is a major part of the club’s contribution to the Special Olympics and of their social calendar. According to Bernie, it’s a big draw for the community and familiar faces return.
The quiz will be, as Bernie describes it: “Just good craic, It’s a good, broad selection of questions that suit everybody? Lots of people come back year after year.”
Should the 12 athletes be successful in Dublin in June, they will qualify for the 2027 World Games in Chile.
Bernie makes it clear that all club members are working hard at their own training. “While focus is on the All Ireland Games, there is commitment from all of the 52 athletes in our club who attend training each week.”
The table quiz is in the Annebrook House Hotel on Thursday January 22 at 8.30pm; tables of four, €40; fear an tí Padraig Flynn.