Generous Denis jets in stranded athletes

MILLIONAIRE businessman Denis O’Brien has dug deep to make sure stranded Libyan athletes make it to the games on time.

The Chairman of the Special Olympics committee has arranged for his private jet to fly the delegation of 12 into Dublin after visa delays put their trip in jeopardy.

Residents who spent months preparing for their special guests were devastated earlier this week when they learned the Libyan team would not be able to take part in their host town programme, after failing to process and collect visas from the Irish consulate in Tunisia.

Then Mr O’Brien intervened. “We are overwhelmed by Denis O’Brien’s generosity. We thank him and the Special Olympics organisers for pulling out the stops,” said Joan Byrne, chairwoman of the Templemore Host Town Committee.

The Libyan five-a-side soccer team and a number of coaches will touch down at Dublin Airport at 1.30pm today and will then travel by bus to Templemore.

“We’ll be there at the airport with banners and flags to welcome the team,” said Ms Byrne, who also said she shed “tears of joy” when she heard the news.

Last night the organising committee was working frantically behind the scenes to ensure teams from Sierra Leone, Ghana and Mauritania arrived before Saturday’s opening ceremonies, following similar problems with visas.

The Burkina-Faso team arrived in their host town of Bunclody, Co Wexford, late last night, and the organising committee was hopeful the delegation from Sierra Leone would arrive tomorrow in time for part of the host town programme in Castleblaney, Co Monaghan.

The spokesperson said teams from Ghana and Mauritania would arrive for the Games, but it was unlikely they would be able to stay in their host towns of Cahir, Co Tipperary, and Drumshambo, Co Leitrim.

Unfortunately, Gabon was unlikely to make it to the Games at all, she said.