Cloghan waits to hail its Special Olympics hero!

Cloghan Special Olympic medallist John Michael Gannon has a lot of celebrations to look forward to when he comes home from this year's World Special Olympics Summer Games in Athens next Tuesday. The gymnast will be welcomed home as a hero after winning two gold and two silver medals in his competition last Tuesday, and to add to that he turns 18 the day he's due back in Ireland. He's guaranteed a huge welcome home to Cloghan. Ann Gately, who is one of John Michael's four gymnastics trainers and principal of his school, St Hilda's in Athlone, yesterday shared her happiness with the Offaly Independent. "We're absolutely thrilled, ecstatic," she said. "We're delighted for him and his family." John Michael upped his usual once-weekly training dramatically before making the journey to Athens, and though Anne says she was quietly confident he would win medals she was delighted to see that confirmed in reality. John Michael's parents Christy and Patricia were due home late last night, after travelling to Greece to witness their son's success. Yesterday neighbour Bridie Reams said a "massive party" is being planned for Hill View housing estate in Cloghan. "The whole town is behind him," she added. "We gave him an escort as he was going off, and we're hoping the whole town will turn out to welcome him home." St Hilda's is also hoping to have a homecoming for John Michael, and Anne says John Michael won't be fazed by the busy social diary that awaits him. "He's very sociable. He'll enjoy everything that happens," she said. John Michael's winning performance in Athens is his first time to represent Ireland on the international stage. He competed in the 2006 Special Olympic Ireland Games in Belfast and won gold in the 2010 Special Olympics Ireland Games in Limerick. Earlier this week he took gold in the rings and the high bar, and silver on the floor and parallel bars. Fans back in Ireland kept up to date with his process via the Internet. "We were glued to it," Anne from St Hilda's said. "To be honest no words can describe it," neighbour Bridie said of getting updates on John Michael's success. "I don't think I would have cried as much if it was one of my own." Manager of the John Michael's local Spar shop in Cloghan Patrick Farrell also passed on congratulations from himself and his staff. Fellow Offaly Special Olympians Gary McCabe and Patrick Moore are still competing in basketball and 5-a-side football respectively. Gary and his team are waiting to square up to both India and Sweden. Patrick and his team lost 2-0 in their game against Cyprus but saw off Finland on a 2-0 scoreline. They have also yet to play India. The three Offaly sports stars are part of a team of 126 Irish athletes representing Team Ireland who at time of going to press had a total medal tally of 34. Speaking about the team's performance so far CEO of Special Olympics Ireland Matt English said the athletes are a credit to their country. "We are so proud of Team Ireland," he said. "They are representing us all so well here in Athens. I would also like to pay tribute to them, their coaches and the volunteers who helped to prepare them so well for the Games and who are here supporting and cheering them on - it's been a fantastic team effort." Earlier President of Ireland Mary McAleese sent the team a message, saying the fact that Ireland was fielding the tenth-largest delegation is "a source of huge pride". "I know that each of the athletes has invested a phenomenal amount of time and effort in their training and preparations," she said, wishing every athlete "the very best as they represent Ireland on the world stage".