Two people wearing matching blue sports jerseys are seen on a football field. The jerseys display colorful graphics and the visible text 'European Football Week.' One person has a visible arm tattoo and both appear to be interacting in a supportive manner. The background is outdoors with a blurred fence and greenery.
Stena Line and Special Olympics Ireland
Destination: Greatness!
At Stena Line, we’ve spent 30 years connecting people across the Irish Sea. For us, the journey is every bit as important as the destination, and so it’s with great pride that we’re able to embark on this journey together.
Our four-year partnership (2025–2028) with Special Olympics Ireland is our way of connecting courage with top-tier competition. Doing our bit means that every athlete has the chance to compete, grow, and belong among the greats.
The partnership with Special Olympics Ireland aims to raise awareness about inclusion and ability at every level. Over the next four years, Stena Line’s support will help to provide sporting resources needed for 7,000+ athletes across the island of Ireland.
Our partnership is designed to create a lasting legacy:
- Long-term impact: A four-year investment providing support to help Special Olympics Ireland strengthen and grow in key areas such as athlete development, club development, healthy & well-being, and sports competition pathways.
- Empowering communities: Expanding access to sport for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in every corner of Ireland.
- From local to global: Supporting athletes from their first training sessions in local clubs all the way to representing Ireland at Special Olympics World Games.
- Building confidence: Enabling more athletes to experience the pride of achievement, teamwork, and belonging that sport delivers.
Johan Edelman, Trade Director for Stena Line:
"At Stena Line, we believe in removing barriers. Partnering with Special Olympics Ireland allows us to support incredible athletes as they train from the smallest of clubs to the biggest of stages."
In June 2026, Dublin hosted one of the largest and most inclusive sporting events ever held in Ireland: The Special Olympics Ireland Summer Games.
Stena Line was proud to work with Special Olympics Ireland in support of the Games, helping bring together 1,277 athletes from across the island. They were supported by 526 delegation members (including coaches, management teams, support staff and medical personnel) and assisted by 2,500 dedicated volunteers. It was a brilliant weekend, filled with inspirational performances from athletes and volunteers alike.
For many of these athletes, the Ireland Summer Games 2026 was the biggest sporting moment of their lives. Every competitor earned their place through years of training, and the Games provided a national stage where athletes could represent their clubs, families, workplaces and local communities with pride.
That's why Stena Line was proud to be an Official Partner of the Special Olympics ‘Support an Athlete Campaign’. The campaign gave organisations across Ireland a clear and practical way to get involved - by directly supporting an athlete's journey to the Games.
Whether contributing to one element or funding an entire place at the Games, every contribution made a tangible difference and helped ensure no athlete was left behind.
With the Summer Games now behind them, athletes are already looking ahead and preparing for the Special Olympics World Games, taking place in Chile in October 2027.
Organisations can find out more about supporting an athlete's journey at: www.irelandgames.ie.
Alternatively, the Corporate Team at Special Olympics Ireland would be delighted to discuss how your organisation can get involved alongside Stena Line as athletes begin their journey towards the World Games in Chile in 2027.
We are proud to partner with Special Olympics Ireland and we invite businesses and communities across our network to join us too.
Copyright Stena Line 2026
