On Saturday 6th June 2009 I was chosen to be a Mascot at the closing ceremony of the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway Bay. My name had been entered into a draw the official site for a chance to be picked as a mascot.

Fourteen children in total were picked from a huge application to the site, two for each boat. I was the mascot for the Spanish boat Telefonica Blue.

During the ceremony we had to walk down the gang plank with the skipper of the boat. We were all given tee-shirts and hats to wear.

The skipper was called Bouwe Bekking and he allowed us to go on board the boat and look around - not all the mascots were allowed on their boats so I felt very lucky.

There were thousands of people there cheering and clapping and doing the Mexican wave.

Mary McAleese made a speech and then the boats left the bay, one by one. They were heading for Sweden. It will take the boats five days to get there.

Afterwards we were taken to a hotel where we met the President Mary McAleese and had our pictures taken with her.

Here are some photos taken by my mum Oona Sloyan with my brother Conor and sister Ava.