Daragh Walsh
Hockey
BIOGRAPHY
Daragh Walsh represented Ireland in the men’s hockey tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
It was only the second time since Irish independence that the men’s team had qualified for the Olympics, their only previous appearance having been at Rio 2016. Walsh grew up playing multiple sports in Dublin before focusing on hockey in his mid-teens, drawn to the sport by the prospect of Olympic competition. He made his senior international debut in 2017 against Pakistan in Lisburn and was part of the 2018 World Cup squad in Bhubaneswar.
He narrowly missed selection for Tokyo 2020 when Ireland lost a sudden-death penalty shootout to Canada in qualification. He qualified for Paris 2024 as part of the team that defeated South Korea 4-3 in the final qualifier in Valencia in January 2024. Formerly of Three Rock Rovers, where he won three Irish Senior Cups and three Champions Trophies, he moved to Belgium in 2019 to play professionally for Braxgata, based just outside Antwerp. He holds a master’s degree in business economics.
OTHER HOCKEY ATHLETES
HOCKEY NEWS
LA28 Qualification Dates in 2026
ROAD TO LA ALREADY UNDERWAY! 2026 marks the beginning of the qualification journey for many sports as they look ahead to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. Qualifying for the Games, which take place from 14–30 July 2028, is challenging across all disciplines. Most sports require either direct qualification through specific events, qualification via [...]
Turning Pain into Progress: Ireland Hockey Captain Sarah Hawkshaw Reflects on Olympic Setback and World Cup Qualification Success
It is easy, sometimes, to presume that every high performance athlete who is heartbroken not to make a global tournament will be super motivated once their next goal is writ large on a white board. Yet even someone as experienced and driven as Tokyo Olympian Sarah Hawkshaw struggled when the Irish women’s hockey team didn't [...]
In the News – 9 March 2026
Hockey The Irish Men’s and women’s hockey teams qualify for the FIH World Cup, after competing in the Qualifiers tournament in Santiago, Chile. The Ireland Men’s Hockey Team closed out their FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers with a win over France to take top spot in the tournament. Having trailed by a goal, Ireland fought [...]
Sport Events Coming up in July
We are at the start of a jam packed July, check here for information on the upcoming events? DATES EVENT (SPORT) 27 June – 6 July EQUESTRIAN Team Ireland – World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen – Aachen, Germany LINK 28-29 June ATHLETICS Team Ireland – European Athletics Team Championships Division 2 – Maribor, Slovenia LINK [...]
In The News – June 16th
Men’s Hockey | Ireland Edge Belgium in FIH Pro League Thriller Ireland secured a stunning 3–2 victory over world-ranked #2 Belgium in Antwerp - their first win of the 2024/25 FIH Pro League season. Louis Rowe opened the scoring; Lee Cole struck twice with penalty corners. Jaime Carr delivered a Player of the Match performance, [...]
Olympic Champion Rhys McClenaghan Inspires Students on Return to His Old School
Olympic Champion and Dare to Believe ambassador Rhys McClenaghan revisits his school Olympic Champion on the pommel horse (gymnastics), Rhys McClenaghan, returned to his former school this week, bringing with him not only his Olympic gold medal but also an inspiring message of resilience and perseverance. As an ambassador for the Dare to Believe Olympic [...]