Cold Spring Teen Is Sports Envoy To Ireland

Brian P. O’Neill, a fourteen year-old incoming freshman at Haldane Central School in Cold Spring just returned home from his "sports ambassadorship" in Ireland playing basketball in the People-to-People program.

With team-mates from across America, Brian’s American team stayed in Shannon with Irish families and had scrimmages and tournaments with some of the finest Irish teams in the Shannon and Limerick areas. The American boys swept the tournaments four-to-zero against the Irish lads.

Many of the Irish teens displayed their Rugby prowess in their style of strong physical contact at the boards. Yet despite the intense contact and competition, good sportsmanship and good spirits were shown by all.

Brian also plays basketball for the local Hudson Valley Knights team. The Knights who qualified for the National Championship competition of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) will be playing in the national tournament in Orlando Florida.

The People-to-People program was established during the Eisenhower administration to promote cultural, academic and athletic exchanges among young Americans and young people from around the world.