UCC unveils banner in support of student and Paralympian Mary Fitzgerald
University College Cork student & Quercus scholar Mary Fitzgerald who will compete at the Paralympics which gets underway in Tokyo on August 24, being wished good luck by returned UCC Team Ireland athletes Tara Hanlon and Mags Cremen. Picture: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision
University College Cork (UCC) has unveiled a banner on its old historic gates in support of its current student and Paralympian, Mary Fitzgerald, who will represent Team Ireland at the Games in Tokyo.
With the action set to get underway in Japan on August 24 until September 5, the third year Occupational Therapy student and Quercus Scholar joins alumni Patrick O’Leary (canoeist) and Niamh McCarthy (discus) as members of Ireland's team of 29 athletes who will compete at the Games.
Ms Fitzgerald (21), a Kilkenny native, will be making her debut at the Games in the F40 shot put.
She previously won three gold medals at the 2019 IWAS World Games in the United Arab Emirates, and this summer won a bronze medal in the shot put for Ireland at the Para Athletics European Championships in Bydgoszcz.
"I am incredibly lucky to be surrounded by people who always encourage me to dream big,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
President of UCC, Professor John O'Halloran, wished Team Ireland well ahead of the Games.
"We are extremely proud of our athletes competing at the Paralympics and we wish Team Ireland the very best of luck," he said.
"The generous support of Ford Ireland and Bank of Ireland must be recognised at this time, as this ongoing assistance helps provide the foundations for our athletes to compete."
