It’s a big day for Special Olympics Ireland today as 3,500 volunteers will take to the streets in the hopes of collecting €500,000 in the space of 24 hours. Volunteers will be out in over 200 towns and villages nationwide and Irish actor Colin Farrell is calling on people around the country to get out and support. “In 2003 our country hosted the Special Olympics World Games and we gave accommodation and shelter to athletes from all over the world in various towns around the whole country,” he said. “It was an amazing experience for the whole country and everyone was supportive and got behind it. And there was such a sense of community about it, and not just a sense of optimism, but hope." https://youtu.be/mGOUAUb6DTY Video via YouTube/SpecialOlympicsIrl “It is an incredible thing what Special Olympics does and it is an amazing opportunity for the athletes involved to be recognised for striving to realise the fullest of their potential…It is a really worthy cause and one that is very close to my heart and I believe close to the hearts of the people of Ireland as was demonstrated in 2003.” Money raised will go directly to developing the grass roots programme of sport training and competition for athletes nationwide, which includes over 9,000 athletes and 370 Special Olympics clubs. “Please, give all that you can,” Farrell continued. “I know times are tough, and wallets can be tight, but it’s a great cause. So with all of this in mind, give all that you can. You can also text Special to 50300 and €2 will go to Special Olympics.” This summer is a massive occasion for Special Olympics Ireland as 88 of its athletes will be heading to Los Angeles to compete at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in July.