One of Ireland’s most exciting swimming talents, Grainne Murphy, last night announced her retirement from the sport at the age of 22.

Fiona Doyle is ready for the spotlight.

Who will enter the national consciousness in 2016, and go from someone only an anorak or dedicated ‘Irish Examiner’ reader might know to a name — possibly even a face — that the casual sportsfan, even a Tubs or D’Arcy, might recognise? Here are tips offs about some names you can later brag to mates that you told them about them first.

Swimming: Fiona Doyle has qualified for next year’s Olympic Games following an impressive display in the 100m breaststroke semi-final at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea.

It looks like Barry Murphy has surely claimed bragging rights in the family home in Dublin this Christmas.

Six records were set on the final day of the Irish Short Course Swimming Championships in Lisburn.

A year ago it was all up in the air.

Baby steps is how swimmer Fiona Doyle described her approach to the tomorrow’s World Championships, each swim an opportunity to close the gap on the pool’s elite.

European Championship gold medallist Grainne Murphy has resumed training in Wexford, according to reports this morning.

IT’S hard to know which is the more rash, to make predictions or resolutions at this time of year, but invariably we all end up indulging in some crystal-ball gazing about the 12 months ahead. Just what has 2013 in store?

One of Ireland’s leading swimmers has expressed hope that Swim Ireland can work again successfully with Gráinne Murphy and the University of Limerick.

It is being reported that Grainne Murphy is considering her future in the sport following the non-renewal of the contract of her coach Ronald Claes and his non-replacement with another coach, and Swim Ireland’s failure to offer her assurances about the future of the high performance centre in UL.

Gráinne Murphy is no longer living or swimming in Limerick after Swim Ireland’s failure to offer her assurances about the future of the high performance centre in UL.

Few sports in this country owe as much to one athlete in recent years as swimming does to Gráinne Murphy.

Irish boxing is punching above its weight

The man with the future of Irish swimming in his hands feels that, while the standard is improving, there is still a long way to go before Ireland's swimmers will be world class.

Irish swimming will hope for a change of fortune in the Aquatic centre this morning when Barry Murphy and Melanie Nocher take to the water at the London Olympics.

There were no tears or tantrums as Irish swimmer Gráinne Murphy bade farewell to the London Olympics last night.

Ireland's Olympians are producing some phenomenal performances today at London 2012.

Annalise Murphy has today won her third race in the women's Laser Radial class.

Grainne Murphy has withdrawn from the Olympics today, Swim Ireland has confirmed.

A miserable morning in the Olympic Aquatic centre left two young Irish swimmers stunned and national performance director Peter Banks struggling for answers.

Irish sailing duo David Burrows and Peter O'Leary have finished in second place in the first of four races this afternoon in the Men’s Star Class.

Irish swimmer Grainne Murphy's finished eighth in her Olympic heat of the 400m Freestyle event this morning.

Ireland may not be claiming any medals in London’s Aquatic Centre this month but Swim Ireland’s National Performance Director believes the time is fast approaching when the country’s elite swimmers will be targeting podium places on the world stage.

Sycerika McMahon, Irish swimming’s newest sensation, produced a brilliant performance to take a silver medal in the women’s 50 metres Breastroke at the European Senior Championships in Debrecen in Hungary yesterday.

Seventeen-years old Sycerika McMahon, who qualified for the Olympic Games on Tuesday, finished a creditable fifth in the final of the women’s 100 metres breaststroke at the European Swimming championships at Debrecen in Hungary

Melanie Nocher has capped off a positive day for Irish swimming by joining Sycerika McMahon in qualifying for the Olympic Games.

Seventeen-year-old swimming prospect Sycerika McMahon is London-bound after securing the Olympic A standard in the 100m breaststroke this morning.

It’s 4.52am on a Monday morning and while you’re asleep she’s going to work.

Irish 200 metres record-holder Paul Hession plans to be in the shake-up with Usain Bolt and reach the business end of their events at the London Olympics this summer.

A YOUNG boy, his face pressed firm against the plate glass, points in the direction of a towering, twisting hulk of clay-red metal in the middle distance asks “Is that a roller coaster, daddy?” His father, reading off an inscription on a nearby viewing panel replies: “No son, it says here it’s a piece of art.”

Melanie Nocher missed out on another opportunity to qualify for the London 2012 Games last night. She finished fourth in the guest final of the women’s 200 backstroke at the British Trials which are taking place at the Olympic venue.

When it comes to appreciating the commitment of elite GAA players, their rugby counterparts are among their biggest admirers.

Melanie Nocher, the European Short Course bronze medallist, won the women’s 100 backstroke final in a new personal best time of one minute 1.92 seconds at the Carlton National Swimming Championships and Olympic trials in Dublin yesterday.

Gráinne Murphy came agonisingly close to breaking Michelle Smith de Bruin’s Irish record in the final of the women’s 200m freestyle on the opening day of the Carlton Irish National Swimming and Olympic Trials at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) in Dublin yesterday.

Melanie Nocher and Sycericka McMahon will be amongst those bidding for Olympic qualification at the National Swimming Championships which begin today at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.

WHILE the English take turns flagellating and excusing themselves for failing to select a single woman in their top ten sporting “personalities” of the year, at least we have gone one better. Just the one though.

FIONNUALA BRITTON wasn’t the only Irish sportswoman standing on a podium yesterday.

HIS lack of sporting credentials were viewed with dismay when he took office but Irish sports officials are hoping that may work in their favour this week as they meet with Sports Minister Leo Varadkar, for the first time.

NEWLY appointed Wexford senior hurling manager Liam Dunne can expect a warm welcome from his fellow-managers in Leinster next year, but, says Dublin’s Anthony Daly, he can also expect something of a culture shock.

GRÁINNE MURPHY failed to qualify for the 800m freestyle final at the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai.

EVEN before his toes touch the water at the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, Chris Bryan will have made history.