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The Games Gazette was a popular publication throughout the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. |
The Games Gazette was the official daily newspaper of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games, a full-color, 11" x 17" tabloid format. The premier issue was 24 pages, with subsequent issues consisting of 16 pages.
The official Games Web site posted each day’s issue of the Gazette as separate page PDFs, viewable with free Adobe Acrobat Reader software. Viewers could click on the “Games Gazette” button on the right side of the page to view this comprehensive publication.
The Gazette was published by a team of GOC staff and dedicated volunteers: Editor Emer Mullins, Managing Editor Diane Flannigan, News Editor Liz Doyle, Publishing Consultant Michael Keane and Editorial staff Jennifer Byrne, Cyrilla Costello, Siobhan Kelly, David Leydon, Celeste O’Callaghan, Liam O’Neill, Maria Robertson, John Tully, and Gerard Reilly. The striking photography had been supplied thanks to the volunteer work of Sportsfile and the press photographers of Ireland, who gave freely of their time to support the 2003 Special Olympics World Games.
Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd. donated editing, printing and distribution through volunteer work by company editorial and production staff.
2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games publications volunteer hopes to compete in future Paralympics
John Tully, a volunteer for the official Games Web site and publications, including the Games Gazette, hoped to make his career in showjumping, but losing a leg dashed his hopes. In the process of rebuilding his life he has come to value what really matters and, as a volunteer, now feels he has a chance to give something back.
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John Tully, volunteer with the Games Gazette |
The 2003 World Games is like coming full circle for Tully, who is no stranger to the showjumping arena at the RDS, where he is based with the Games media center and publications office.
Because of his love of showjumping, he had planned to set up a riding school. To raise the funds needed, Tully got a job in construction. His whole body was crushed when he was caught between a forklift and a truck. Now, after his volunteer experience with the Games and having witnessed the fortitude of Special Olympics athletes, Tully makes light of his own situation.
In the future, he hopes to compete in the Paralympics. Tully works for Cavan County Museum, which boasts a broad range of art and artifacts, including an inscribed standing stone, found in Cavan, that dates back to the Stonehenge era.
Tully profile by Jim Coen |
