An honourable track record: Ireland at the Olympics, 1924-2024

A century after athletes first represented the Irish Free State at the Olympic Games in Paris, the largest and most ambitious Team Ireland travels to the French capital. The intervening 100 years have seen remarkable achievements by Irish sportspeople, writes Ian O’Riordan

MJ Murphy, Bob Tisdall, Pat O'Callahan, Eamonn Fitzgerald and T Mahoney of the Irish Olympic team at the Olympic village in Los Angeles on July 28th, 1932.

It was Ronnie Delany who first championed the phrase “once an Olympian, always an Olympian”. In the 100 years of Ireland’s participation, it remains an utterly unique and honourable distinction, set to continue at the Games of the 33rd Olympiad in Paris later this month. 

Ronnie Delany winning the 1,500 metres at the Melbourne Olympic Games of 1956 sparked huge interest in athletics at home.