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The Paralympic Flame will arrive in Newry tomorrow, Saturday. The Flame should arrive at the St Colman's College complex at 11.30 on Saturday, followed by a juvenile running event organised by the Council and Newry City Runners.
Following the very successful Olympic Torch run and evening ceremony held in Newry at the beginning of June, the Paralympic Flame will travel from Belfast to Newry on Saturday morning and Mayor John McArdle speaking on the event stated he was "delighted that we will be joined on Saturday by the sole surviving member of the first ever Irish Paralympic team"
"Oliver Murphy,from Drogheda County Louth, competed for Ireland in the 1960 Paralympic Games in Rome. Given that Newry and Mourne has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Louth Local Authorities ,it is appropriate that Oliver should join us in our celebrations.".
Oliver Murphy was one of 5 athletes on the Irish Team in 1960. Emboldened by their experiences in Rome, upon their return, they established the Irish Wheelchair Association which, today, has in excess of 20,000 members. Oliver and the Council's own Disability Sports Officer, Ciara Lowe, have also been selected as ambassadors for the District at an event In Stormont earlier on Saturday to mark the arrival of the Paralympic flame to the North of Ireland.
