“Recognise the Opportunity”: Killarney Audience Hears from Paralympic Champion Jason Smyth

Six-time Paralympic gold medallist Jason Smyth brought a message of resilience, belief and opportunity to Killarney on Wednesday, 7 October, when Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce hosted a fireside chat at the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa, sponsored by AIB.

Living with Stargardt disease, a genetic eye condition that affects central vision, Smyth has gone on to become one of Ireland’s most successful Paralympic athletes. He took the audience from his early sporting years in Derry to the world stage, and spoke warmly about the family support and the people who helped him see what was possible.

Sport was part of his life from the start, and soccer in particular, where his natural speed stood out. It was a PE teacher’s encouragement at around the age of 15 that led him to join an athletics club. It was a small moment at the time, but one that changed everything, and a reminder to the room that opportunities do not always announce their importance. The trick, he said, is to recognise them and take them.

Smyth also spoke of his coach, Stephen Maguire, who encouraged him to look beyond his comfort zone and seek out places where he could grow. That took him to Florida for four years, training alongside some of the fastest sprinters in the world. He arrived as the slowest in the group, and he was refreshingly honest about the self-doubt that came with it. Through hard work and commitment, he earned the respect of his training partners, and in the process rewrote his sense of what he was capable of. Throughout, he stressed the value of surrounding yourself with the right people, both to reach the top and to stay there.
Among those in the audience was Irish Paralympic high jumper Jordan Lee, whose own path in sport was shaped by meeting Smyth at a Paralympic Ireland event. Inspired by what he saw, Lee tried different sports before going on to represent Ireland in para athletics, a powerful example of how one person’s story can open doors for another.

Also present was Kerry Irish dancer Grace O’Sullivan, the force behind the Pedal for Grace fundraising initiative. Grace also lives with Stargardt disease, and her efforts in support of Vision Ireland have raised almost €90,000 in four years while shining a light on sight loss.

The evening closed with a lively audience discussion, with questions on leadership, resilience and personal development, and plenty of food for thought for everyone in the room.

Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce thanked Jason Smyth for his generosity in sharing his story, AIB for its support, and everyone who came along to make it such an engaging evening