Kathleen Maguire is a familiar face in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, often seen in the media particularly when celebrating golf victories with her granddaughter, Leona. Although keen on watching Olympic golf, Kathleen’s attention is currently focused on rowing. Her grandson, Ross Corrigan, is set to compete in the men’s coxless pairs next Sunday. Ross’ mother and Leona’s father are siblings, which means that two of the Maguire family members will be contesting in Paris for medals in unrelated sports, all under the watchful eyes of their 97-year-old grandmother who lives near the Cavan/Fermanagh border.
Moving to Tallaght, we find St Thomas’s National School and St Mark’s Junior School, located four minutes apart in Jobstown. The Tallaght Echo reported in the previous month that Jobstown saw a 50% surge in deprivation levels from 2016 to 2022, with unemployment hitting a robust 33%. Regardless, the town’s inhabitants continue to aspire towards grander prospects.
A case in point of this aspiration comes alive on Wednesday, August 7th. Jack Woolley, who attended St Thomas’s National School (graduated in 2011), will participate in his second Olympics for Taekwondo. Proceedings will start with his preparing for the qualification rounds, possibly culminating in medal rounds by evening. Simultaneously, about half an hour away in the Stade de France, Rhasidat Adeleke of St Mark’s Junior School (graduated in 2014) will compete in the semi-final for the 400m, aiming to make a mark in history, a feat achieved only by a select few. All of Ireland will cheer for her, yet the loudest support will resonate from the neighbourhood in Tallaght, as they root for their local heroes. Indeed, Tallaght is represented twice.
Let’s embark on a journey through Grange, County Sligo—a mere speck on a map. Heading south on the N15 from Donegal, you’ll find the village, marked by a leftward bend in the road, followed by its mirror twin turning right, and in a blink, you’re across it. Home to the St Molaise Gaels GAA pitch, a SuperValu, a Circle K, along with a selection of pubs, takeaways and a children’s play area.
The 2022 census recognised 569 residents of Grange. Among them, a scarce 52 are in their 20s. Considering that Olympian swimmer Mona McSharry and 400m relay racer Chris O’Donnell might not have been home during census considerations, it paints an interesting picture.
This modest settlement, perched at the base of Ben Bulben, unassuming in its unexceptional simplicity, has remarkably sent two of its youngsters to the grandest spectacle in athletics. Impressively, this isn’t their first, but their second consecutive participation. Both McSharry and O’Donnell competed in Tokyo, each making it to a final and both returned with a national record under their belts.
This is the true essence of the Olympics. Despite the fracturing controversies, the unending cycle every four years carries an element of majestic grace. Blemished by various scandals involving lies, cheats, and frauds, it still maintains a magnetic allure. Despite the diminishment of its reputation, a core of enchantment survives.
Even with its imperfections, every corner of the world unites in a quadrennial convention, sending their best athletes to a universally agreed location to compete in games that, for better or worse, will forever be inscribed in sporting history. This magic might not be as potent as in its glory days, but its resilience is impressive. And this time, it attracted the largest team ever sent by Ireland to the Olympic Games.
Late Tuesday saw the confirmation come in from Canoeing Ireland, Michaela Corcoran had managed to secure her position in the final berth for the C1 slalom event. Consequently, the Paris Olympics’ Team Ireland, participating in 15 different disciplines, officially totals 133 athletes. Over the prior two decades, that figure has been progressively escalating from 49 in Athens, 54 in Beijing, through 66 in London, 77 in Rio, to 116 in Tokyo.
The surge in quantity over the last two Olympic sequences is partly attributable to the growing popularity of certain team sports. Tokyo was visited by two hockey teams while Paris will see one hockey and two rugby sevens teams. Yet, remove the 40 sportspeople from these three teams, and there would still remain 93 Olympians competing in 13 diverse sports. Undeniably, this is our most wildly productive Olympic era.
This team is all set to earn medals, possibly – or more accurately, probably – the record number ever. The peak haul for an Irish team at an Olympics is the six earned in London 2012. Failing to surpass this count would cause a twinge of disappointment. Such an outcome would have been inconceivable and something not casually spoken aloud in the 96 years Ireland has dispatched participants to the Olympics. But here we are.
Several of the rowing teams and boxers should end up on the podium. Among them are Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, as well as Kellie Harrington. An Irish Olympic gold medal has not been successfully retained since Pat O’Callaghan in 1932. The lightweight pair and lightweight boxer are committed to forging their own legacy. If the rowers succeed, O’Donovan will be the first Irish individual to medal at three games, effectively becoming Ireland’s most notable Olympian. He might well already be.
Opportunities for victory are numerous and widespread. Both Daniel Wiffen and Rhys McClenaghan are globally recognised as champions. Adeleke’s potential is unbounded. Predicting golf results may be notoriously unpredictable, however, in the weakest competition they’ll face all year, the prospects for Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are notably considerable. Showjumping could bring home another medal, notwithstanding the solitary medal scored so far, despite our recurrent optimism. The eventing squad appears unconcerned by the relative lack of attention on them.
Earning medals demands fortuitousness and impeccable timing, among other elements. Woolley has already conquered half his battle by securing his spot in the games with a scant 18 entrants. The rugby sevens boys can be anticipated to make it at least to the quarter-finals, and thereafter, the outcomes become hazy. In track cycling, Lara Gillespie might be the dark horse. Neither are our sailors heading to Marseille Marina for a sunbathing session.
Sport, however, is susceptible to heartbreak just as it is to joy. A large proportion of the athletes representing Ireland in the coming weeks will return disheartened. They will indulge in introspection, contemplating the purpose behind their efforts. Eventually, they will adorn themselves with the iconic Olympic rings tattoo and move forward in life. Their memories are likely to fade into obscurity or at best become trivia for sports enthusiasts frequenting Wikipedia.
Nonetheless, it is essential to recognise who they are before their achievements are overlooked. An examination of their names and backgrounds reveals a representative cross-section of Irish society. The athletes represent Ireland in its entirety, both demographically and geographically. From Ciara Mageean in Ards Peninsula to various rowers in West Cork, or Daniel Coyle, a Derry-born showjumper, to Thomas Barr hailing from Ferrybank AC in Waterford. Included are inner-city boxers, privately schooled hockey and rugby players, some of whom were previously Gaelic footballers and may return to it eventually.
The Olympics has gathered participants of all ages; 16-year-old swimmer Grace Davison, hailing from Bangor, being the youngest. On the other end of the spectrum is 49-year-old Austin O’Connor, a contestant in his fourth Olympics, who was already competing in his first games in Sydney when Davison was not even born. Despite his age, O’Connor is not the most seasoned member of the team, as Fionnula McCormack takes that title, preparing to run the marathon on the final day, becoming the first Irish woman to participate in five consecutive Olympics.
A variety of Irish stories are portrayed in these Olympics. The immigrant narrative is shown in multiple facets, from Adeleke’s parents settling in Ireland from Nigeria before their daughter’s birth, to another swimmer, Wiffen, whose English parents relocated to the Armagh/Down border when their twin sons were two. Nhat Nguyen’s family journeyed from Vietnam, raising Ireland’s top-performing badminton player in between running a Chinese takeaway in Clare Hall, north Dublin.
The emigrant plot also plays a unique part, with Mike Corcoran, who left Glasnevin in the 1980s, going on to represent Ireland in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics as a canoeist. His twin daughters, Madison and Michaela, are following in his wake, looking forward to navigating the slalom course at Vaires-sur-Marne in the upcoming week. Many of the swimmers, divers, and hockey players were also born overseas.
In essence, these athletes represent Ireland’s diversity. As the country tunes into the forthcoming games, each viewer will be able to identify with some aspect of the Irish team. Layered with diversity, from varying walks of life, gender, socio-economic backgrounds, races, and sexual orientations, they embody the true spirit of Ireland, uniting the nation at a time when nationalism is continuously scrutinised. Their efforts and unity are indeed worth rallying behind, as they personify the inclusive team that Ireland stands for.
So, without further ado, let’s look forward to the games. Regarding Ireland’s best prospects for medals? The top rank goes to Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, our rowing team.
The current Olympic title holders have collectively claimed five golds across world, European and Olympic levels, their dominance in the double sculls event unrivalled for half a decade. Given the elimination of the lightweight category post the Paris Olympics, this is their concluding opportunity to reign supreme. O’Donovan’s prowess on the water has earned him the title of the globe’s premier male rower amongst pundits, whilst McCarthy has ascended from junior ally to sharing leadership duties since the Tokyo events. Their boat remains the benchmark for the competition.
Inaugural race: Sunday, July 28th, 11.00am
Nestled in at number two is Aoife O’Rourke, a boxer hailing from Roscommon, holding an impressive three-time European Championship gold title since 2019. Standing as a seeded contender, she needs to secure victories in two upcoming matches to assure herself of a medal. Since the Tokyo Olympics, her performance statistics show an outstanding 27 wins out of 28 matches, with her only defeat coming from an opponent absent from the Paris event. O’Rourke brings an array of skills, know-how and strategic acumen to the ring.
First match: Wednesday, July 31st, 10.00am
At the third spot, we have Daniel Wiffen, the star swimmer from Magheralin, Co Down. He is a double world champion, world record holder and triple European short course champion. All signs indicate that the Paris event could mark the high point of this 22-year-old’s career. However, his performance might need to be tempered by caution as not all top competitors participated in the Doha World Championships where he claimed widespread victory. He enters as a marked man but a medal winning performance is highly anticipated.
First heat: Monday, July 29th, 10:00am
Rhys McClenaghan, another double world champion, is known for his outstanding gymnastics skills particularly in the pommel horse event. Despite a setback at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 where his mishap in routine execution cost him a medal, he has bounced back with consistent progress every year. His performance, even with the potential for error, often heralds medal awards, including gold.
Qualifying round: Saturday, July 27th, 10:00am
Finally, we have Kellie Harrington (boxing) claiming the fifth spot.
Much like Aoife O’Rourke, being a reigning European champion grants her a seeded position in the last 16, leaving her just two victories away from securing a medal. She has previously declared this to be the final event in her boxing career and has truly given it her all. Despite losing her first match in over three years in April, her position is far from guaranteed, yet her extensive experience and expertise give her the ability to steer through this competition.
Her first bout will be on Monday, July 29th at 11.00am.
Turning to athletics, we have Rhasidat Adeleke.
Though one could argue that the prospects of winning a medal are slightly higher with Rory McIlroy in golf or Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh in rowing, no other Irish competitor will command more TV viewership during these games than Adeleke. With the women’s 400m being a highly competitive event — albeit less intense than expected due to Sydney Mcloughlin Levrone and Femke Bol’s decision to stick with hurdling — Adeleke is a rising star whose boundaries haven’t yet been defined. Her performance could indeed be memorable.
She will begin her race on Monday, August 5th at 9.55am.