The Big Interview with Paul McDermott: how Ireland stepped up to high-performance sport

Paul McDermott — Sport Ireland’s director of high performance — has been at the centre of Ireland’s pursuit of gold, but says that the unit’s priority is to help all our athletes reach their full potential, writes Kieran Shannon

PODIUM FINISH: Sport Ireland high performance director Paul McDermott is presented with a President's Award, for the important work he does in administration, by Olympic Federation of Ireland president Sarah Keane. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Last November at a ball in the Clayton Burlington Hotel to celebrate a centenary of athletes representing Ireland at the Olympic Games, a couple of administrators were honoured amidst the hundreds of Olympians.

At this stage you have likely heard of Sarah Keane. As well as being one of the two longest-serving chief executives of a national sports governing body in this country, the Swim Ireland supremo took on the task of presiding over the newly-founded Olympic Federation of Ireland following the old OCI’s demise in Rio. For adeptly navigating another reformed body through choppy waters, she was recognised with an Order of Merit on the night.