With a flash of gold, our boxers knock storm out
A crowd, estimated at 5,000 by gardaí, gathered in the rain on Dublin’s Dawson St at lunchtime to welcome back Team Ireland, including the five medallists, and by God, they earned their stripes.
Many travelled from as far away as Limerick and Galway to stand in the deluge, and then compère Des Cahill asked everyone to take down their umbrellas so everyone could view proceedings. At one stage the Camembert Quartet played AC/DC’S ‘Thunderstruck’, and it felt like tempting fate.
John and Nuala Tuthill, from Clane, Co Kildare, brought their sons Jamie, 3, and JJ, 6, in to watch the homecoming. JJ had watched most of the Olympics on the television, according to Julie, who is originally from Macroom, Co Cork.
They weren’t alone: Pensioners Peader and Rosemary O’Brien travelled from Ballinasloe, Co Galway, with Peader saying he’d watched all the medal-winning performances on the box, especially Katie Taylor’s. “I’m very proud of her,” he said.
Geraldine O’Connell from Ratoath, Co Meath, said the homecoming could have been better organised.
“This is almost an anti-climax, it’s an afterthought, but that’s our Government, they never think anything through.”
Those feelings seemed to evaporate in the rain as Team Ireland was welcomed on to the stage in five groups, to stand alongside some of the torch bearers and organisers. Chef de mission Sonia O’Sullivan received a huge roar, as did Melbourne gold medallist Ronnie Delaney, and there was warm applause for Tony Sutherland, father of boxer Darren, who won a medal in Beijing but died a year later. “I only wish he was here — I have a feeling he is here,” said Tony.
Cian O’Connor’s bronze medal got a rousing reception, before being followed by the final group: John Joe Nevin, Michael Conlan, Paddy Barnes, and the undoubted star of the show, Katie Taylor. They bounded on to the theme from Rocky and amid all the joshing afterwards Katie admitted: “I am a bit nervous being up here in front of all these people.”
Her father Peter later said dealing with this new adulation was trickier for Katie than stepping into the ring, but she seemed to be doing a good job. As the group walked back to the Mansion House, she was last in, shaking almost every outstretched hand en route, posing for photographs and signing autographs. The rain stopped. She seemed to have a planetary pull on the dispersing crowd, drawn to her as she moved along inch by inch. There is no denying the genuine joy she has provided for many people, especially children.
Every vantage was taken. Lee Featherstone, 13, from George’s Place in the city, stood like a gymnast on a parking bollard to take a picture. “Well done Katie, we love you,” shouted more than a few people.
Later the team members and their families were carried to Farmleigh by buses emblazoned with the digital legend “Team Ireland Heroes” and they were greeted as such by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on Conlan’s bronze medal and played along with photographers as he met the boxers. “Try him with a left hook,” urged one lensman, while another shouted “Hit him, hit him.”
Government press spokesman Fergal Purcell sounded mildly concerned when he laughed that this was “a bit too vehement”. Conlan then carried on the pranks by holding his fingers behind the Taoiseach’s head in time-honoured “bunny ears” fashion during the photographs.
Inside, Mr Kenny thanked the team and their families for the decades of hard work and drive which had brought them to compete at this “elite level”.
He said the people of Ireland had been “captivated” by the “spectacular achievements and performances by Team Ireland”, which had highlighted sport’s ability to unite and inspire.
He said the goodhearted atmosphere displayed by fans in London also showed the evolution of Ireland’s relationship with Great Britain, and said we could already look ahead to the Rio Games, a matter of 200 weeks away.
On the day there was very little to grumble about, a point echoed by Peter Taylor. “It’s just a pity about the weather today, it would have been lovely to go through Dublin on an open top bus. But you can’t control the weather.”
Well, not that we know of.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
