Gold medallists, Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan Ireland’s gold medallist rowers Fintan McCarthy, Paul O’Donovan, and bronze medallist Emily Hegarty were welcomed back to Skibbereen “with great pride”, according to Aughadown parish priest, Fr Donal Cahill.
Great pride
“There’s great pride there for them,” Fr Cahill said of the Olympic champions, continuing, “there was a bit of a homecoming last night for them, and there was a big crowd for it”.
The medallists were welcomed back with a function by the local rowing club, which Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney and Sports Minister Jack Chambers attended.
Joining medallists Paul O’Donovan, Fintan McCarthy and Emily Hegarty were reserve team members, Paul’s brother Gary and Lydia Heaphy, as well as Aoife Casey, who competed in the lightweight women’s double skull.
Fr Cahill said the Olympic proceedings had put Skibbereen “on a high,” the town being festively decked to receive the athletes.
“The welcome was extremely enthusiastic,” Fr Cahill said.
Parish
“The parish is decked with flags and buntings and all of that kind of thing, so the parish is really on a high.”
Gold medallists Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan rowed their way into history when they provided Ireland’s first-ever gold medals in rowing at the Olympics.
The pair, who competed in the lightweight double sculls division, were favourites going into the competition as a result of their dominant performances in recent years.
The Skibbereen natives pulled away from the German team in the final 500 metres to secure Ireland’s 10th gold medal since first competing in the Olympics in 1924.
Meanwhile, bronze medallist rower Emily Hegarty achieved the title alongside teammates Fiona Murtagh, Eimear Lambe and Aifric Keogh, becoming the first Irish women’s rowing crew to earn a medal at the Olympics.
Surreal
Speaking to RTÉ News, Ms Hegarty described the homecoming as “surreal”.
“You would almost be a bit overwhelmed,” she said.
“You wouldn’t realise it. I think we were so far away and, with the time difference and everything, we didn’t realise the extent of the excitement at home. So, it was really, really lovely and it was nice to see the support and everyone looking after us.”