Olympic bronze champion Daire Lynch was received with an exuberant welcome by a crowd of over 2,000 in his hometown of Clonmel, at Kickham Plaza. The crowd had assembled to celebrate both him and Philip Doyle, his crewmate, following their victorious performance in Paris. The duo arrived in the vicinity shortly after 6pm to a thunderous cheer, with both showcasing the medals they secured in the Men’s Double Sculls final.
Tom Fennessy from Clonmel Rowing Club was the emcee of the event and reminded the audience, to enthusiastic applause, that Lynch was the first sports figure from Tipperary to bring home an Olympic medal since Bob Tisdall, a hurdler from Nenagh, won in Los Angeles in 1932. Fennessy expressed a warm reception to Doyle and his mother Una, who hails from Banbridge, Co Down, noting that Doyle is now considered a Clonmel resident since Una’s grandfather, the late Bill Hyland, was originally from the town and was known for his athletic prowess.
Dermot Dougan, the President of Clonmel Rowing Club, mentioned the continual growth of the club, which marked its 150th anniversary in 2019, and projected that Lynch’s triumph would inspire more achievements for the club, which boasts over 200 members. Pat Kinsella, the club’s vice-captain, fondly recounted how Lynch distinguished himself from a young age by defeating much older competitors in a race in Fermoy at the tender age of 15. He knew they had a remarkable athlete in their ranks when Lynch began reaching out to Europe’s top rowers for advice.
Among the spectators were the parents of Lynch, Niall and Joanne, along with his siblings, Brian, Conor and Aoife. They were also joined by the Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Cllr Declan Burgess, and Clonmel’s mayor, Cllr Michael Murphy. Doyle, another colleague, expressed his admiration during this occasion.
Consecutively, it was Lynch’s opportunity to speak. He remarked that his passion for rowing was immediate from his initial visit to the Clonmel Rowing Club. He voiced his gratitude towards the club’s members for their unwavering backing, as well as the residents of Clonmel who have been his cheerleaders from home. Lynch shared, he only discovered the recording of local fans who had assembled to view the match after it happened. He was overjoyed by the significant impact it had on them and mentioned having displayed the video to a large portion of Paris during the succeeding week. He capped it off with a heartfelt thanks for their tremendous endorsement, which was met with thunderous applause.