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 by mounting two plaques in its main building – a lasting tribute to their accomplishments and an inspiration for future students.

Peter McKibbin, who captained the school’s hockey team, expressed his excitement at seeing the plaque:

“It’s very cool, I think it’s a very nice way to commemorate our achievements over the last 12 months so I am very happy to have it (the plaque) up.”

Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan was similarly excited about his plaque and the experience of returning to his old school: “It’s so good to be back here at my school in Regent House, I am so proud to be back here and show all the kids my medal.”

Erect a Plaque in Your School or Club

Any school or club can erect a plaque to commemorate their local Olympic hero – find out how:

More Team Ireland News

Irish Sailing and Rugby Sevens Shine in Action-Packed Weekend

Sailing McMahon Claims Sailing Bronze in California Eve McMahon secured a superb bronze medal at the Sailing Grand Slam event in San Pedro, California, after a composed performance in the Final Series against some of the world's best Olympic sailors. Racing took place in ideal conditions inside the bay, with 10–13 knots of breeze providing [...]

Diamond League Podiums In London for Mark English & Sarah Healy

Irish athletics enjoyed another outstanding weekend on the international stage, with Mark English and Sarah Healy producing career-best performances at the London Diamond League, while Ireland’s next generation of stars claimed a remarkable medal haul at the European Athletics U18 Championships in Rieti, Italy. Athletics London Diamond League Mark English delivered one of the finest [...]

Team Ireland Publishes Squash Nomination Policies for Istanbul 2027 and LA28

The road to the first European Games to feature squash and the sport's Olympic debut at LA28 is now clear, with Team Ireland confirming nomination standards and qualification pathways for Irish athletes.  The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI), in partnership with Squash Ireland, has published the Team Ireland nomination policies for the Istanbul 2027 European [...]

LA28 Volunteer Program Applications are now open!

With exactly two years to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, LA28 has officially opened applications for its Games-time volunteer programme, offering sports fans from around the world the opportunity to play a part in the next Olympic and Paralympic Games. Up to 60,000 volunteers are expected to support [...]

In The News – 13th July 2026

Three former Team Ireland European Youth Olympic Festival athletes spearheaded a week of outstanding performances for Irish sport, with Emer Heverin and Seth Dunwoody crowned European champions while Rían McCrystal claimed victory at the Quanta Capital Junior Tour of Ireland. There was also international success for Shane Sweetnam in Sweden, where he secured a prestigious [...]

In The News – July 6th 2026

Irish athletes continued to make their mark on the international stage this week, with a junior world title in canoe sprint, a first international medal for diver Jake Passmore, and major victories in cycling and show jumping highlighting another impressive period of success across multiple sports. Sean Butterly Crowned Junior World Champion in Halifax Ireland [...]

Backing Team Ireland’s Journey to LA28

As preparations for LA2028 gather pace, the Team Ireland Foundation's work to close the funding gap for Irish athletes has been on full display over the past few weeks - from Kildare to San Francisco. Team Ireland Foundation Golf Day The annual Team Ireland Olympic Golf Fundraiser took place on the 18th of June at [...]

Finding New Confidence in a New Era – How Mags Cremen Turned Uncertainty Into Opportunity

What do you do when the parameters of your event have radically shifted after you've finished fifth at your second Olympic Games, leaving you unsure whether your body type will be a good fit for it anymore? Mags Cremen, who was still only 25 after the Paris Games, didn’t panic. She went back to the [...]

OFI Updates – July 2026

OFI 2026 AGM The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) held its Annual General Meeting, where Members received an update on the organisation’s activities over the past year and were issued with the 2025–2026 Annual Report. Read more HERE. TWO-TIME OLYMPIAN PHIL HEALY ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM ATHLETICS The Bandon AC athlete leaves the sport as one [...]

Performance Round Up – June 2026

Athletics Mark English finished second in a high-quality men’s 800m field at the Rome Diamond League. The Donegal athlete clocked a season’s best time of 1:43.80, his second fastest ever over the distance, as he closed strongly in the final metres to challenge for victory. Sarah Healy delivered a personal best time of 14:48.88 in [...]

Events Coming Up in July

Athletics ⁠Eugene Diamond League - July 4th Cork City Sports - July 8th ⁠Morton Games - July 10th ⁠Monaco Diamond League - July 10th ⁠Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix - July 14th ⁠London Diamond League - July 18th National Senior Track and Field Championships - July 25th & 26th   Badminton Japan Open World Tour 750 [...]

Allianz Ireland Deepens Partnership with Rhasidat Adeleke as Logo Debuts on Race Kit

Team Ireland's title sponsor Allianz Ireland has today announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Irish Olympic sprinter and national record holder Rhasidat Adeleke. In a milestone moment for the partnership, the Allianz logo will officially appear on Adeleke’s competition kit for the first time, marking a new chapter in a relationship that has [...]

Scroll to Top