Taoiseach congratulates Paralympic athletes on winning gold

Enda Kenny said the athletes had “done their country, family and Team Ireland proud”.

02/09/12 4,221 Views 22 Comments

Ireland's Michael McKillop (right) and Jason Smyth with their Gold medals at the Olympic Stadium, London.

Image: David Davies/PA Wire/Press Association Images

THE TAOISEACH HAS congratulated Ireland’s Paralympic athletes on taking the gold at the 2012 games, saying they had “done their country, family and Team Ireland proud”.

Enda Kenny congratulated Darragh McDonald, Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop on scooping gold yesterday – and Smyth and McKillop on both setting new world records.

“This has been a great weekend for Ireland and for sport, with four gold medals,” said Kenny.

The Taoiseach said that McDonald, who only took up competitive swimming in 2006, was spurred on by “determination and drive” which saw him win gold.

Meanwhile, he congratulated Smyth – known as the ‘fastest Paralympian on Earth’ – on setting another world record.

McKillop, the reigning T37 800m Paralympic double world champion and world record holder, also went on to create a new world record.

The Taoiseach congratulated all the athletes saying they were “inspirational”.

Check out what the fourth day of games will bring, with TheScore.ie’s rundown for Sunday

Read: Paralympic Breakfast: Ireland’s Firth hoping to continue her success>

Read: Paralympic gold winner Bethany Firth congratulated by ministers>

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Jennifer Wade

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S P Mc Grath 02/09/12 #

0 62

Well done great achievement

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Conn Higgins 02/09/12 #

0 46

What fantastic performances

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Martina Quinlan Byrne 02/09/12 #

1 36

So very proud of all the Irish participants well done

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Jim Walsh 02/09/12 #

6 28

Nice to see the Enda bashers are up early this morning. Would you prefer that the Taoiseach ignore the achievements of our Paralympians? It’s only right and proper that he officially acknowledge the success of our athletes.

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- Sean O Coisdealbha 02/09/12 #
  
  12 4
  
  what would u call him jim boy
  
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- Jim Walsh 02/09/12 #
  
  10 13
  
  I’d call him the Taoiseach.
  
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- Kevin O'Sullivan 02/09/12 #
  
  2 9
  
  I’d call him maybe.
  
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dublinlad72 02/09/12 #

2 14

Well done to all, an awesome achievement.

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Gerry Ryan 02/09/12 #

46 68

Fantastic achievement, kinda makes you think what you can achieve if you’re determined enough, even in the face of adversity, true heroes.
Kenny has some neck, given all the cuts his government has made to people with disabilities. While these medal winners are amazing heroes, he is the complete anthesis.

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- Mick 02/09/12 #
  
  23 49
  
  Yawn, not for this page Gerry, keep it clean. Well done for to all involved.
  
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- Neil McAuley 02/09/12 #
  
  39 42
  
  Well said Gerry. Kenny’s cynical behaviour leaves a bad taste …. in the Aviva yesterday and no doubt Croker today. Maybe he’ll do some work tomorrow. Once again best wishes to all the athletes in London.
  
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- Mick Collins 02/09/12 #
  
  46 28
  
  Gerry
  This is a place to congratulate our athletes and wish them well for the future. You have cheapened it by being vulgar and common. Keep your political views for political subject matter and ask the Journal to remove your commentary.
  
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- Gerry Ryan 02/09/12 #
  
  23 50
  
  Eh Mick, have you read the headline: ‘Taoiseach congratulates Paralympic athletes on winning gold’. So comments about him congratulating them is for this page.
  
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- Mick 02/09/12 #
  
  29 11
  
  Snore, boring…
  
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- Kevin O'Sullivan 02/09/12 #
  
  12 5
  
  Gerry; In all fairness, considering the state of our economic affairs at present did you really expect that the Olympics/Paralympics get exempt from cuts? Everybody has been hit by cuts. We all need to take the pinch. Its the only way, savings need to be made to balance the books.
  
  Its the job to the Taoiseach to be representing Ireland and it would have been an absolute disgrace if he ignored the athletes on their achievements.
  
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Brian Larkin 02/09/12 #

1 6

It’s great to see the Irish do so well at the Paralympic games. It’s just a pity there is not more coverage of the games on our native channels

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Joan O'Connell 02/09/12 #

15 20

Wow. Are we completely omitting Team Ireland’s first gold medallist, 16 year-old Bethany Firth?

Not a mention of her name there.

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- Jennifer Wade 02/09/12 #
  
  3 26
  
  Hi Joan,
  This story was just covering the Taoiseach’s speech on day three, but there’s a piece on Bethany scooping gold here too: http://www.thejournal.ie/paralympic-gold-winner-bethany-firth-congratulated-by-ministers-580806-Aug2012/
  Hope that helpful,
  Jennifer
  
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- Joan O'Connell 02/09/12 #
  
  1 6
  
  Thanks Jennifer – Actually, taking a look at MerrionStreet.ie from yesterday, it looks like An Taoiseach devoted an entire sentence to congratulating Firth. Fair play to him.
  
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Martin Smith 02/09/12 #

5 8

Yeah yeah Mr Kenny….Wont be holding my breath for the rush to organise the home coming and the bus through O Connell street….Congratulations to the medal winners and the team true inspirational atheletes and no complaints about lack of funding etc….

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Sean O Coisdealbha 02/09/12 #

18 13

country n the gutter with more cuts to the health system & we see our teacher from mayo is kept very busy……Cop on enda get bck to work….

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Catherine lonergan 04/09/12 #

0 0

Oh he would jump on the bandwagon then ENDA Kenny would do anything just to get that bit of satisfaction trying to make out that he is actually some way good for the country well sorry for ya but ah NO!!

Your after cutting vital services wherever the hell you can.
Your hiking taxes up and inventing new one,s wherever you can so you have no right to have any say in anything the people of this country have achieved cos all you ENDA Kenny have achieved is selling our country to Germany, giving the banks more of OUR money than any other country in Europe, etc.

http://www.change.org/petitions/supporting-the-irish-nation-step-down-from-government#share?utm_source=guides&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_summary

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Taoiseach congratulates Paralympic athletes on winning gold

Enda Kenny said the athletes had “done their country, family and Team Ireland proud”.

Read: Paralympic Breakfast: Ireland’s Firth hoping to continue her success>

Read: Paralympic gold winner Bethany Firth congratulated by ministers>

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