BBC Sport NI Unsung Hero: McGuigan wins 2021 award for GAA and Special Olympics volunteering

But while Brian was by his own admission “born into the GAA”, the Special Olympics is “something I just fell into”.

“I am the luckiest person in the world. It was by pure chance. I was working as a swimming teacher over in Queen’s about 15 years ago and the guy beside me said that he was running a Special Olympics event in a few days and could I give him a hand.

“It blew me away. I’ve been hooked ever since.

“I’ve got to get up in the morning to do my job. But I get to do the Special Olympics. I get to spend two hours with my heroes and their families. Those athletes are my heroes. I’m the lucky one.”

His myriad of Special Olympics roles with both the Titanic Tigers and the Oak Leaf Lions based in his native Dungiven includes coaching the Ulster swimming squad and a normal weekend in Brian’s life can see him head over and back from Belfast to Dungiven on several occasions as he, without complaint, fits in all his various bits of sporting volunteering.

“We started the Special Olympics club in Dungiven during lockdown and really got going just in April.

“We’re drawing people from Derry, Coleraine, Limavady, Maghera, Magherafelt and as far away as Ardboe, Ballycastle and Ballymoney and again we have volunteers coming from all over the place which has blown us away as well.

“The parents are just the most remarkable people.”