Fermoy man Stephen O’Leary loves his native town, and all available evidence suggests that the feeling is very much reciprocated.

Last June, hundreds of people turned out to welcome the Special Olympian home from the World Games in Berlin, where he had captained the Irish soccer team to gold medal glory.

The first Ireland soccer team to get to a final in the Special Olympics since 2007, they won six games out of six, scoring 31 goals and only conceding two goals.

Of those goals, team captain Mr O’Leary scored six, also getting four assists.

Part of the Special Olympics for 15 years and playing soccer since he was a child, the hugely popular 34-year-old is to be the 2024 Fermoy St. Patrick’s Day Parade Marshal.

Stephen will be the 32nd Fermoy Grand Marshal.