New Irish Olympic champions join an exclusive club

Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy this morning joined the most distinguished group in Irish sport: the six athletes who have stepped on to the top of the Olympic podium as gold medallists. 

Olympic gold medal 

Dr Pat O'Callaghan

Dr Pat O’Callaghan, a native of Kanturk made history on 30 July 1928 in Amsterdam when he whipped the 16lb ball and chain out to 51.39m (168’ 7”) to win Ireland’s first Olympic title. The victory was important to O’Callaghan as ‘the world had been shown that Ireland had a flag, that Ireland had a National Anthem, and, in fact they had a nationality.’