'An inspirational lady': Celebrating Cork woman's Paralympic success 40 years ago

As the Paralympic Games opened this week, Monica O’Kelly and her friends and carers at the HSE’s Farranlea Community Nursing Unit (CNU) were watching avidly.

That is because Monica herself was presented with a silver and three bronze medals at the New York Paralympic Games four decades ago.

At those Games, it was then US President Ronald Reagan who presented Monica with her silver medal for swimming. She also won bronze medals for her performances in the shot put, club throw, and slalom competitions.

She followed this with two gold medal winning performances for swimming at the European Championships in Vienna the following year. Monica competed internationally for eight years in total.

So, as Paris celebrated the commencement of the 2024 Paralympic Games in spectacular fashion, staff at the Farranlea CNU were hosting a green, white, and gold themed garden party for all of its 80 residents to mark Monica’s sporting anniversary.

Monica grew up on the Old Blackrock Road in Cork and started representing Ireland when she was young. 

“I loved horse-riding and when I was nine, I was picked to go to Amsterdam and ride in front of the Irish Ambassador to The Netherlands,” she said.

In the summer of 1983, Monica was invited by Cerebral Palsy Ireland to train at the Sandymount Clinic: “I travelled by bus every weekend and slept in a sleeping bag on the floor in order to train and reach Paralympic standards.”

When Monica was chosen for the Irish Paralympic team, her family rallied to fundraise for her and others to make the trip, organising a bike ride from Shannon to Cork. Sponsorship also came from local businesses and sports clubs.

“My mother and aunt came with me to New York and I spent three weeks there.

“The athletes got up every day at 5.30am and trained until 4pm; the only breaks were to eat. It was tough but then Ronald Reagan opened the Games and it was a brilliant experience,” Monica said.

“I did watch the Olympics and was very happy with the swimmers who won medals for Ireland, Mona McSharry and Daniel Wiffen. Who is my favourite? Oh, the man Daniel!” she added with a laugh.

Monica, a resident at HSE Farranlea CNU since 2013, said: “Coming from home to here was nerve-wracking, a huge change, but I found ways to settle. I get a lovely breakfast every day and I feel a lot better now. The staff are very good to me. My family is very ive as well.”

Clinical nurse manager Mini David said Monica loves life: “Monica is so famous, such an inspirational lady!”

Monica’s brother David O’Kelly said his sister was one of the first residents of the Cedar Unit at Farranlea, adding: “We are so grateful to the team who care for her multiple needs so well.”

Her other brother Vincent recalls being Monica’s sidekick as they were the two youngest in the family. “We are always very proud of her and her achievements.”