Sports & Recreation Shortlist 2024

In 2018, husband and wife duo, Peter Cassidy and Sabrina O’Carroll founded CrewBlu, a para sports group, to make rowing accessible to individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome.

During COVID, they secured funding for indoor rowing machines and provided regular online coaching sessions. Now athletes engage in three online coached sessions and one water session per week.

While they work with a number of rowing clubs, locally and nationally, Peter and Sabrina’s success with CrewBlu is also thanks to their own Club, Tribesmen Rowing Club, where they support a dedicated para membership category, CrewBlu@Tribes. This has created a sense of pride, belonging and a strong community for the athletes and Tribes rowing volunteers.

A tremendous achievement for CrewBlu@Tribes was participating in the Irish Indoor Rowing Championships and being invited to row in two Irish Club’s Rowing Regattas. These were historical firsts for a large group of rowers with intellectual disabilities.

Peter and Sabrina also support athletes currently training for the LA Olympics in 2028. They have created opportunities for CrewBlu para-athletes to train and participate abroad and they now regularly compete and bring home medals from regattas in Italy, Portugal and Spain.

CrewBlu ‘s supportive environment is a testament to the power of rowing to transform lives, and not just for the rowers, but for their families, the volunteers and the community.  Peter and Sabrina hope this is just the beginning, a wave of positivity that will inspire more clubs to open their doors to athletes with disabilities.

Deborah McArdle has been with the Donabate/Portrane Special Olympics Club since its inception over 8 years ago. She recruited the volunteers needed to found the club and now is the Young Athlete Lead and Head Coach. The Donabate/Portrane club has opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to participate in Basketball, Gymnastics and Athletics. Volunteering has brought Deborah all over the world from America, to Abu Dhabi and most recently Berlin, and she is always encouraging athletes and volunteers to expand their horizons. Her motivating spirit gets athletes excited to join teams and play in more games-the club is at full capacity with a waiting list! “Her vision is what stands her apart from others. She always saw the club as a vehicle to provide a safe place for the athletes to express themselves and develop and hone their sporting skills” writes her nominator. 

When she isn’t coaching or volunteering, you can find Deborah running the Dublin marathon for various charitable causes. She even fundraised to purchase a running chair so that runners could invite people with disabilities to join them in running! 

Shanelle Waring-Woods has been volunteering with the Ennis Hockey Club for 5 years doing anything and everything! She serves as the Designated Liaison Officer, Committee Member and a Coach, passionate about making hockey a fun, safe, and rewarding activity for all. At the heart of Shanelle’s contributions is her work in developing programs for individuals with disabilities, both adults and children. These programs have not only promoted inclusivity within the club but have also provided meaningful opportunities for participation, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for all involved. Shanelle’s vision for accessibility in sport has touched many lives and has made the club a welcoming place for everyone, regardless of ability. 

In addition to her work with athletes, Shanelle has been instrumental in organizing and supporting various fundraising efforts for the club. Her involvement has ensured the financial stability of the club, allowing for continued growth and development. Whether it’s coordinating events, managing budgets, or rallying support, Shanelle is always at the forefront, working to secure the resources necessary for the club’s success. She manages volunteers and gets them excited about the club’s work as well as leading training sessions on important topics like child protection, first aid, and coaching strategies.