Ireland Special Olympics star Ruth O'Mahony passes away
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Ireland Special Olympics star Ruth O'Mahony passes away

IRISH Special Olympics gold medallist Ruth O’Mahony sadly passed away at the weekend, the Evening Echo have reported.

Having represented Ireland at the World Games on a number of occasions, Ruth was a talented, well-respected and much-loved individual.

Ruth, whose cause of death has not been reported, was competitive in hockey, tennis, football and badminton as a youth, but in golf she found her biggest strength.

She won gold for Ireland in the nine hole singles at the 2007 World Games in China, just as she did in the same event in Dublin four years prior.

Ruth was also a multiple winner of national, provisional and county titles.

“Our sympathies are with the family on this very sad occasion,” Cork Golf Club Special Olympics Chairperson Maeve Hyland told local newspaper the Evening Echo.

“Ruth attended our Christmas party in Cork Golf Club less than two weeks ago and she was nominated by the club as the Person of the Year.

“She accepted the cup and made a speech and inspired everyone who was there. She was a fantastic athlete, she was a very hard worker and very competitive.

“She was a great example for all of the other athletes playing golf with us.”