The Irish Olympians have been truly exceptional in Paris over the past couple of days. Rhys McClenaghan bagged a gold medal in the pommel horse event, while Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy also clinched gold in rowing. On top of this, boxer Kellie Harrington celebrated a semi-final triumph. This week also marked the rise of a new generation of Irish swimmers who made their presence felt on the world’s most significant platform.
Daniel Wiffen put in a stunning performance to win a gold medal in the 800m, with predictions favouring his victory in the 1,500 final tonight. Meanwhile, in the women’s 100m breaststroke final, Mona McSharry swam her way to a bronze medal, beating Italy’s Benedetta Pilato and the USA’s Lilly King by an incredibly slim margin of 0.01 seconds. “Dreams do come true,” she declared afterwards.
Ian O’Riordan highlights that Ireland and its Olympic swimmers are gradually shedding the image of being an island nation grappling with water sports. However, as the country revels in this bright and victorious present, a grim chapter from Irish swimming’s past resurfaced, casting a dark cloud. Jennifer O’Connell reminds us of a time when “Irish swimming” evoked quite a different feeling – one of shame and horror, emanating from a string of horrific incidents.
She refers to Derry O’Rourke, a former swimming coach turned convicted child rapist, who was just last week sentenced to a decade in prison for sexually assaulting a girl he coached back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
O’Connell ponders how O’Rourke’s victims must feel seeing McSharry and Wiffen bring such joy and pride through the same sport that these women once cherished. And how might it feel recognising that in an alternate life, it could have been them celebrating such victories?
Chess has garnered increasing popularity in recent times, particularly among the younger generation. Sally Rooney’s upcoming novel, ‘Intermezzo’, centered around a young competitive chess player named Ivan, is likely to further boost the enthusiasm around the game. Over the last three years, Trinity College Dublin’s chess society has seen a consistent rise in memberships, as highlighted by Niamh Donnelly in her magazine feature this weekend. Adding to this is the rise of online chess communities which, along with novel rapid-play styles, contribute to the engagement of younger chess enthusiasts.
In other news, contemporary societal norms have been under examination. Reactions to social structures are altering as the world faces ongoing crises. There are changes in career choices as financial gains fluctuate. David McWilliams recollects a conversation with a friend’s mum from the affluent south Dublin in the 80s. The reminiscence highlights how identities have traditionally been established and how present-day societal shifts are transforming these patterns.
The method of watching the Olympics, whether via television, smartphone or online, brings to the fore the debate around the Government’s €725 million funding plan for RTÉ. Hughes Linehan emphasises the need to focus not only on broadcasting platforms but also on the production of public-service content, wherever it is produced.
In literature news, Charlotte Mendelson discusses her latest work, ‘Wife’. The novel explores the trials of love through the story of Zoe, a reticent academic, who enters a relationship with the older, stunning Penny. The evidently perfect relationship sparks envy but contains early signs of potential downfall.
The US Republican Party is often perceived as bizarre, at least from the Democrats’ perspective. The term ‘strange’ seems to be their preferred way of portraying Donald Trump’s and JD Vance’s campaign groups. This depiction appears to have touched a sensitive spot within the Grand Old Party. According to Donald Clarke, the basis of Republican values – being traditionally rooted in the ‘typical’ American ideal – is often overlooked. The party’s defences have long been associated with protecting the industrious heartland from perceived strange and indulgent individuals on each coast since the 1960s.
Additionally, in her recent article, Roe McDermott responds to a reader who reveals that she regularly engages in sexual activities with her husband not due to her personal desire, but based on a perceived obligation. Her husband never coerces her, but she is motivated by the notion that a healthy marital relationship necessitates frequent intimacy; hence she complies. Sometimes, she expresses satisfaction from it, but on other occasions, she feels void.
Also, Dominic Coyle discusses inheritance in the weekly ‘On the Money’ newsletter.