Here we row: Men’s and women’s doubles lift Irish spirits at Olympics

It had a sheen of Rio, the carnival atmosphere that descended on the town of Skibbereen when its two Olympians, Paul and Gary O’Donovan, yesterday claimed a place in the men’s lightweight double sculls Olympic final.

“Race On! Here we row, here we row,” read the excited tweet from Lisheen National School as the two brothers, former pupils of the school, crossed the finishing line in third place, ahead of Team GB.

Heightening the excitement, our female rowers, Claire Lambe and Sinead Lynch, qualified for the women’s lightweight double sculls final.