THERE are major celebrations planned for Clonakilty this weekend to welcome home Special Olympic gold medal winner Aoife McMahon.

Aoife (39) won gold in table tennis at the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi this week.

A client of the Cope Clonakilty facility, she modestly said that she was ‘very happy’ to take the top spot and also went on to win a fourth-place ribbon in a doubles event.

Gerard Ahern, manager of the Cope Centre, and Rosemarie Dempsey of Special Olympics Clonakilty are organising a joint celebration for Aoife when she returns home at 3pm on Saturday.

Aoife was one of the first members of the town’s Special Olympics Club when it was set up in 2005 and Rosemarie described her as a very able sportswoman who has competed in golf and equestrian skills.

West Cork was also represented by volunteer Sarah Hayes from Rosscarbery. The second year PE and Irish student at UCC described it as ‘the experience of a lifetime.’

‘But the highlight was definitely Aoife’s win,’ she said.