Taoiseach Micheál Martin: Rowers made us all so proud to be Irish

The efforts of Ireland's gold medal-winning rowers, and all of our Olympians, have lifted the mood of the nation

Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy celebrate with their gold medals after winning the Men's Lightweight Double Sculls final at the Sea Forest Waterway during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Sporting excellence has a particular hold on our nation.

We love the dedication, determination, focus, and mental strength that it requires. And while we all have our favourite teams in different codes and leagues, the way in which the entire nation gets behind those representing Ireland is very special.