IRISH OLYMPIANS' ASSOCIATION
Once and Olympian, Always an Olympian
The Irish Olympians’ Association (IOA) unites Ireland’s Olympians to honour their achievements and maintain a community among the over 1,000 athletes who have proudly represented Ireland at the Olympic Games since 1924.
Mission
The IOA is dedicated to fostering the values of the Olympic movement, in collaboration with the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI), the IOA aims to enhance engagement between Olympians, current and aspiring athletes, and the broader sporting community.
Through initiatives that promote contact, provide resources, and elevate the role of Olympians as role models in society, the IOA strives to strengthen the Olympic legacy in Ireland and ensure that future generations are inspired, supported, and empowered to achieve their sporting goals.
The Irish Olympians’ Association is one of 148 National Olympians Associations (NOAs) spread across all five continents.
The IOA is mandated by the Executive Committee of the OFI and is led by an Honorary President.
The current President of the IOA is Athens 2004 & Beijing 2008 Olympian Roisin McGettigan-Dumas, who took up the reigns from Olympic Gold Medalist (Melbourne 1956) Ronnie Delany in December 2023.
You can get in touch with Roisin by email
Olympian's Recources
Team Ireland Plaques
Ireland’s Olympians come from communities across the country and the world. If you, your club, school or community organisation would like to recognise an Olympian, you can now apply for a special plaque.
The Team Ireland plaque features the Olympic rings, alongside the name and details of the Olympian being commemorated.
World Olympians Association
The WOA supports the more than 100,000 living Olympians throughout the world and works for their benefit at all stages of their lives.
The WOA also handles registrations for OLY – a post nominal (like PhD, MD) that gives a 24/7 public recognition of years of hard work, dedication and promotion of the Olympic values.
Irish Olympians’ Association Facebook Group
Connect with other Irish Olympians and stay in touch with news and events at home and abroad.
This is a closed facebook group for Irish Olympians and those interested in Team Ireland’s heritage.
Join the IOA Database
Every athlete who has been selected to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games is automatically a member of the IOA, however the IOA doesn’t always have contact details for athletes who competed in Games pre the internet age.
If you, or any Irish Olympian you know does not already receive occasional emails from us, please fill in our form and help us update our database.
Irish Olympians' Association News
Olympian Spotlight – Fionnuala McCormack
Few Irish athletes embody endurance, resilience, and sheer love of sport quite like Fionnuala McCormack. With a remarkable career spanning nearly two decades, she has represented Ireland at five Olympic Games—from Beijing 2008 right through to Paris 2024—and capped it all with her highest-ever global finish, 9th place at the 2025 World Championships. In this [...]
Celebrating the Olympic Spirit: the Irish Olympians’ Association BBQ
The Irish Olympic community came together in the courtyard of Olympic House on Sport Ireland Campus for the inaugural Olympic Day BBQ. The event brought together Olympians spanning six decades of Irish sporting excellence, along with their families, friends, and staff from the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) for an afternoon of connection, celebration, and [...]
School Honours McClenaghan and McKibbon with Commemorative Olympic Plaques
Olympians Rhys McClenaghan and Peter McKibbon have been honoured by their former secondary school with commemorative plaques. McClenaghan, who won gold in the men’s Pommel Horse at Paris 2024, and McKibbon, a member of Ireland’s men’s hockey team in Paris, both attended Regent House School in Newtownards as teenagers. It has recognised their Olympic achievements [...]
Olympian Spotlight – Julie Parkes & Carol-Ann Heavey
Swimmers Carol-Ann Heavey and Julie Parkes at Dublin airport before departing for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. More than 1,000 people have represented Ireland at the Olympic Games since our nation first participated in Paris 1924. In the second of an ongoing series exploring the personal stories of Ireland's Olympians, Julie Brown (nee [...]
Olympian Spotlight – Terry McHugh
Earlier this month, Terry McHugh was presented with the Olympic Federation of Ireland President’s Award in recognition of his achievements across two sports and six Olympic Games. As well as being the only Irish athlete to have competed in so many Games, Terry is in an exclusive club of dual winter and summer Olympians - [...]
100 YEARS OF TEAM IRELAND CELEBRATED AT CENTENARY OLYMPIC BALL
PHOTOS Last night, over 700 guests gathered for the special Team Ireland Centenary Olympic Ball, at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin. In 1924 the first team competed for Ireland at the Olympic Games in Paris, and throughout the evening athletes and performances spanning the one hundred years were celebrated. The unique event was [...]
Team Ireland Kickstart Centenary Celebrations at Trinity College Dublin
Yesterday, the Olympic Federation of Ireland brought together a number of Olympians to kickstart our centenary celebrations at Trinity College Dublin. Last night's function was the first in a series of events that Team Ireland has planned throughout our Centenary year to celebrate our Olympians, recognise their achievements and inspire the next generation of athletes to [...]
Roisin McGettigan-Dumas Becomes President of the IOA, Olympic Champion Ronnie Delany Steps Down
OLYMPIAN ROISIN MCGETTIGAN-DUMAS BECOMES THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE IRISH OLYMPIANS’ ASSOCIATION OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST RONNIE DELANY STEPS DOWN AND IS AWARDED THE IOA PRESIDENT EMERITUS TITLE Olympic Champion Ronnie Delany has stepped down from his position as President of the Irish Olympians’ Association and the mantle will be passed to 2008 Team Ireland […]
HUGH RUSSELL – OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALLIST – RIP
The Olympic Federation of Ireland is sad to hear of the passing of Olympic Bronze Medallist Hugh Russell. The Belfast boxer died following a short illness and is remembered fondly by the Irish Olympic and boxing community. He won his bronze medal in the Men’s Flyweight category at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. The OFI [...]
Olympic Medallist Jim McCourt RIP
Olympic Bronze Medallist in Boxing, Jim McCourt dies The Olympic Federation of Ireland is sad to learn of the passing of Tokyo 1964 Olympic Medallist, Jim McCourt. The Belfast boxer was one of 18 boxers to win an Olympic medal for Ireland and was the only Irish medallist at the Olympic Games in Tokyo […]
Badminton Ireland Development Project Receives International Support from IOC Olympic Solidarity
Badminton Ireland has received official approval and funding through the Development of National Sports System programme of the International Olympic Committee, delivered via Olympic Solidarity, in partnership with Team Ireland / Olympic Federation of Ireland. Following formal endorsement from the Badminton World Federation, the project has been awarded USD 70,000 to support the strengthening of [...]
Milano Cortina 2026: How Team Ireland Connected with the Nation
29 January - 26 February 2026 The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games may have featured a small athlete group, but the story they told reached far beyond the slopes and halfpipes of northern Italy. Across social media and the Team Ireland website, the Games period produced some of the strongest digital results the organisation [...]
Ireland’s Winter Olympians Celebrated at Homecoming Ceremony
Ireland’s four Olympians from the Milano Cortina Games have been formally welcomed home with a reception in Dublin city centre. Freestyle skier Ben Lynch, alpine skiers Cormac Comerford and Anabelle Zurbay, and cross-country skier Thomas Maloney Westgård were recognised for their performances and their contribution to Team Ireland’s Winter Olympic campaign at the Department of [...]
BEN LYNCH IS NAMED AS TEAM IRELAND FLAGBEARER
The Olympic Federation of Ireland is delighted to announce that Ben Lynch, Irish freestyle skier, will serve as Team Ireland’s flagbearer at the Closing Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Verona tonight. Lynch capped off a standout Games for Ireland with a historic performance that saw him become the first Irish [...]
MALONEY WESTGÅRD SHOWS GRIT IN GRUELLING 50KM FINALE
Day Fifteen – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 Thomas Maloney Westgård rounded out Team Ireland’s performance at the Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina 2026, finishing 23rd in a brutally competitive race in Predazzo, competing in the Cross-Country Men’s 50km Mass Classic. Norway dominated what is one of the most prestigious events in Cross-Country [...]
BEN LYNCH EIGHTH IN OLYMPIC FINAL
Day Fourteen Finals – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 History maker Ben Lynch has finished a brilliant eighth place in the Finals of the Men’s Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno tonight, posting an impressive score of 75.00 in the final run of the event. Lynch’s result marks [...]
BEN LYNCH QUALIFIES FOR OLYMPIC FINAL
Day Fourteen – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 In sensational style, Team Ireland’s Ben Lynch qualified for the Olympic Final of the Men’s Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe, finishing 11th in the qualifiers with a top score and personal best of 75.75. The top twelve qualifiers from today’s qualifying two rounds progress to the Olympic Final [...]
ZURBAY BATTLES TOUGH SLALOM COURSE
Day Twelve – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 Seventeen-year-old Anabelle Zurbay capped her Olympic debut with a determined performance in the Women’s Slalom today, finishing 48th with a combined time of 1:58.50 at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The overall competition was won in style by USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin in 1:39.10, [...]
GRITTY REACTION ON TESTING COURSE FOR COMERFORD
Day Ten – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 A gritty performance from Cormac Comerford in the Men’s Slalom at the Olympic Winter Games in Bormio saw the Dubliner finish 31st overall with a combined time of 2:10.24, following a dramatic recovery on the infamous Stelvio course. In a race marked by extremely challenging conditions, [...]
ANABELLE ZURBAY MAKES HISTORY
Anabelle Zurbay became Ireland’s 35th Winter Olympian today, making history as the youngest Alpine skier to represent Team Ireland at the Winter Games. The 17-year-old finished 48th in the Women’s Giant Slalom in a time of 2:31.70, delivering a composed performance on the Olympic stage in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Racing among the sport’s elite, Zurbay clocked [...]