All the fun of the fair for families and carers
Kids and adults from all over Munster with special needs and their families and friends had Funderland Cork all to themselves, and spent the morning with their carers and families enjoying some of its white-knuckle, stomach-churning rides.
The headline attractions, including the Log Flume, The Take Off, and The Sizzler, were specifically adapted to suit their needs with some running at slower speeds and others on half-power. But the park goers yesterday, some of whom have intellectual disabilities and others with physical disabilities, also got to enjoy the regular fun fair favourites like the waltzers and dodgems.
Anne O’Shea, who lives at Cope’s residential complex for adults at St Francis Gardens in Blackpool, was among the lucky entrants.
“I went on five things. My favourite was the wiper ride. I didn’t feel sick at all, but I screamed. I got the fright of my life. It was great fun,” she said.
Cope staff nurse, Clíona Doyle, said: “It was a great day. It’s something they look forward to all year. And they were on a high all day afterwards.”
Funderland staff, who normally open the park at 2pm, came in early to host the two-hour event.
The Irish-owned theme park has been running the initiative since its foundation almost 40 years ago by showman William Bird, who ran similar initiatives for decades before that.
Funderland marketing manager John Magee said it promotes inclusivity for families with children with special needs, and has over the decades become a regular annual feature of their shows around the country. “We don’t like to shout about it or make a big deal about it,” he said. “But it’s a huge deal for the kids and something they all really look forward to. The excitement levels are just fantastic. You wouldn’t believe it.”
Funderland, which is based just off Centre Park Road, remains in Cork this weekend. Special deals and passes are available on funderland.com
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