Team Ireland athletes to be welcomed home

Athletes from Team Ireland will be given a hero’s welcome when they return home from the Paris Olympics on Monday.

It will be the first time the Irish Olympic Team has received a civic reception on its return home.

They won seven medals at Paris 2024 – four gold and three bronze – with four of those medals taken by athletes from Northern Ireland.

It is Ireland’s most successful Olympics team – 100 years after it first took part in the Olympics.

After arriving into Dublin Airport, the team will travel to the centre of Dublin for a free public event on O’Connell Street.

Swimmer Daniel Wiffen made history, becoming the first Northern Ireland athlete to win an individual gold medal since 1972.

The 23-year-old from Magheralin in County Down won gold in the 800m freestyle and bronze in the 1500m freestyle.

Speaking after finishing his gold medal race, he said: “I was writing ‘I’m going into the history books’, and that’s exactly what I’ve done.

“It was definitely the way I wanted to execute it. It wasn’t the time that I wanted, but Olympic finals aren’t about getting times, it’s about getting your hand on the wall first.”

There were tears in Wiffen’s eyes as he received his gold medal at the end of the arena where his family and coaches watched with pride.

After stepping off the podium, he ran over and jumped into the arms of his family – including his twin, Nathan.

Rhys McClenaghan completed the gymnastics’ ‘Grand Slam’ after winning gold on the pommel horse apparatus.

The victory mean the 25-year-old gymnast from Newtownards in County Down had won the top prize in the World, European, Commonwealth and Olympic tournaments.

“It sounds amazing. It sounds like a dream come true,” he said.

“It still feels like a dream. But it’s a lifetime of work culminating into one little moment, and this little moment is what you are seeing right now.

He was visibly emotional as the received his medal on the podium and said it was remarkable to be able to bring it home to Northern Ireland.

“It’s the first gold medal for Newtownards in the Olympics, so I hope I’ve made everyone back home proud,” he said.

Philip Doyle said the feeling of winning an Olympic bronze medal alongside Daire Lynch in the men’s pair was phenomenal.

The 31-year-old from Lisburn dedicated his medal to his late father, Eamonn, who passed away in 2015 from cancer.

He acknowledged the huge success athletes from Northern Ireland achieved during the 2024 Olympics.

“To see so many Northern Irish athletes doing so great over the past few days has been amazing. It’s really spurred me on” he said.

Boxer Kellie Harrington defended her Olympic title while Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan picked up Ireland’s other gold medal with victory in the lightweight men’s double sculls.

Mona McSharry rounded off the medals with a bronze in the women’s 100m breaststroke.

Three more athletes from Northern Ireland won medals as part of Team GB.

The civic reception for Team Ireland will take place in front of the General Post Office (GPO) on O’Connell Street in Dublin city centre, beginning at 12:30.

The event, which is planned in conjunction with Dublin City Council, is free to the public.

Entertainment will be provided before the team takes to the stage.

Lord Mayor of Dublin James Geoghegan said: “Now is our chance to tell them in person just how proud we are of them.

“I have no doubt their efforts will have inspired lots of girls and boys all over the city and country to try and be like them some day.”

Team Ireland chef de mission Gavin Noble added: “Over the past few weeks our athletes have performed outstandingly, and have inspired the nation with their endeavours at the Olympic Games in Paris.”