What a spectacular weekend it was, as the Irish flag waved high three times, marking Ireland’s national anthem, “Amhrán na bhFiann”, being played as often as the number of untrimmed fingernails remaining among Arsenal fans by Sunday’s sunset.
We tip our hats to Rhys McClenaghan, Shannon Sweeney and Aoife O’Rourke. However, should Ireland ever send a contestant with a name like Meadhbh Ó Muircheartaigh to the European Boxing Championships, the Belgrade announcers, with their unique pronunciation of O’Rourke as ‘Ife’, ‘I-fa’ and ‘Eeef’, might encounter a challenge.
Despite their lesser appearance beyond pay-per-view or outside the Olympics, boxing and rowing events are often heavy yielders of medals for us, considering our obsession with the podium. Thus, it was indeed baffling that we had to turn to YouTube to witness Shannon and Eeef clinching their gold medals. There was no commentator for both finals, an uncommon scenario that revealed every nitty-gritty sound of the contest, something that isn’t quite favoured on this end of the screen. A high-spirited, enthusiastic voice to override the sound effects and offer a more palatable viewing experience would be preferred.
Effective commentary was displayed by our gymnastics commentator, Olly Hogben, during Rhys’s performance in Rimini. Olly excelled in delivering cohesive links, like when he narrated the backstory of Tbilisi upon the completion of Levan Skhiladze’s routine from Georgia. In truth, Olly, with his expert commentating and impromptu history impartation, proved to be remarkable.
When Rhys has completed his task, his tiny smirk suggests he’s rather pleased with the fruits of his labour. It was at this juncture that Olly delivered a personalize versed homage to him using snippets of a poem penned by Rosemary Jenkinson that was originally written with Poetry Day Ireland in mind.
In the ode, he was likened to a horse whose hands danced like a ballet performer on a small stage, amidst plumes of floury chalk. He continued to take centre stage till his feet pointed skyward and he started his intricate performance of spins, twirls and spindles, blazing the way to a gold medal position.
The last line, though, was less poised than the rest, its loudness starkly contrasting with the poem’s overall elegance. Olly confessed that he had taken a bit of poetic license with the last line that wasn’t part of Jenkinson’s original oeuvre. It seems that Rhys McClenaghan has rewritten his own record in the annals of history yet again. Quite clever, don’t you think?
To draw parallels between Rhys’s performance in Rimini and Dónal Óg Cusack’s anticipation at the Gaelic Grounds might seem like a stretch. It could be surmised that Dónal Óg’s stomach was a whirlwind of intricate gyration, akin to the performance we all just witnessed, in anticipation of the hurling match between Cork and Clare.
Yet, there he was, assuming the role of a pundit, a role quite removed from his familiar confines of Páirc Uí Chaoimh. He expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming games, but showcased concern over the excessive number of matches. He conveyed his feeling of being held prisoner, compelled to watch the Galway and Kilkenny match while the eagerly-awaited Cork and Clare face-off took place.
Simultaneously, viewing Donegal v Tyrone and Spurs v Arsenal, coupled with the hurling, pushes one’s apprehension beyond control. The continual shift of channels assures one of missing every crucial moment.
Eventually, Galway and Kilkenny ended in a stalemate, but as the time came for the experts to dissect the game, it seemed as though Ursula Jacob was the only one among the lot to have genuinely watched the game. Presumably, Dónal Óg and Anthony might have spent the entirety of the match poring over GAAGO.
In the chaotic world of football lay the north London derby. As Arsenal clung on to a narrow 3-2 victory over Spurs after losing a 3-0 lead, Paul Merson at Sky was a bundle of nerves. “It was almost a disaster,” was Merson’s remark, his tension palpable even in the silence of the Gaelic Grounds long after the final whistle.
Meanwhile, over in the Gaelic Grounds, the hurlers of Limerick produced a stellar performance against their rivals, Tipp. Dónal Óg noted the team’s resilience, saying, “Any sign of weakness is promptly dissipated, they surge forward – genuinely, it’s a delight to witness.”
That it truly is. “One final move, another triumph leading to an All-Ireland medal…and a leap into the realm of unfaltering faith.” Acknowledging Rosemary Jenkinson, while altering her words with heartfelt apologies.