Kieran Shannon: Nothing accidental about Ireland's systematic Olympic success

In the five Olympics since the Institute was founded, the country has won 21 Olympic medals – and counting. One more than was accumulated over all previous 18 Olympics combined.

23 February 2001; A general view of the Sports Campus Ireland Development company headquarters in Abbotstown, Dublin. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

A bit like the birth of Christ determines how we measure years, you can basically demarcate Ireland at the Olympic Games into how things were before the Institute of Irish Sport came along and since it came along.

In the five Olympics prior to the foundation of the Institute in 2006, Ireland won only a combined seven medals, three if you leave aside the exceptional case of Michelle de Bruin.