Martin rows in behind Skibbereen's Olympic finest

Tonight as the Taoiseach addressed the rowers, their families, coaches and fellow politicians including Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney at the small event in Spearline in Skibbereen

Taoiseach Micheál Martin with Ireland and Skibbereen Rowing Club's Olympic rowers at the reception in Spearline in Skibbereen from left: Gary O'Donovan, Lydia Heaphy, Fintan McCarthy, Paul O'Donovan, Emily Hegarty and Aoife Casey. Photo: Anne Minihane.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin was back in the company of Olympic medal-winning rowers in Skibbereen for the second time in five years tonight - albeit in very different circumstances.

"I think back to five years ago, we were all a bit younger, and it was bedlam outside in the town," he told a smalll crowd gathered to celebrate the achievements of local gold medal-winning rowers Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy and bronze medal winner Emily Hegarty. "We had great fun, great craic."