'You have made history': Olympic rowers inspiring next generation, ceremony hears

Gold medallists Paul O'Donovan, and Fintan McCarthy were congratulated tonight along with Eimear Lambe, Aifric Keogh, Fiona Murtagh, and Emily Hegarty at a ceremony in Cork for Ireland's Olympic rowers.  Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Ireland's Olympic rowers have been hailed for their achievements in Tokyo and for inspiring the next generation, with an event held in their honour hearing that their success has pushed dreams of eight to 10 medals by the 2028 Games.

At the National Rowing Centre in Farran, Co Cork, by the banks of the River Lee, gold medallists Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, and the bronze medal-winning quartet of Eimear Lambe, Aifric Keogh, Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty, were joined by other members of the Olympic team as the Irish rowing community paid tribute to their efforts in the Games.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin led the tributes, stating that the team had succeeded in "bringing honour and glory to our country".

He said that apart from the medallists all those on the rowing team had contributed, including in a string of top 10 finishes, while competing with "dignity and respect" and in a way which reflected on the communities in which they first engaged with sport.

"You have made history, which at such a young age is a wonderful thing in itself," he said.

The Taoiseach added that the success in the Tokyo Games had propelled hopes of between eight and 10 medals at the 2018 Games.

Medals won and lost 

Others to pay tribute to the rowers included Cllr Gillian Coughlan, the Mayor of Cork County, and Minister for Sport, Jack Chambers, as well as the CEO of Rowing Ireland, Michelle Carpenter.

Medallists Aifric Keogh and Paul O'Donovan also spoke, with the former saying she regularly takes out her medal, responding to requests from people to see it, while the latter admitted: "I forget mine behind me half the time."

Both paid tribute to their teammates and the coaching staff and said they could already see the boost the success in Tokyo had on the rowing community and the next generation coming through.