Maeve McNally travelled to the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games as a reserve member of the Irish sailing team, having pushed Cathy MacAleavey and Aisling Byrne closely for selection in the women’s 470 class – the first women’s sailing event in Olympic history.

McNally and Denise Lyttle had been the rival pairing throughout the selection process, and the competitive challenge between the two crews sharpened both pairings in preparation for the Games. The women’s 470 class at Seoul was sailed at the newly built Busan Yachting Center in conditions that proved among the windiest in Olympic sailing history.

McNally remained an active figure in Irish sailing for decades after Seoul, attending the centenary celebration of Ireland’s Olympic participation in 2024 alongside many of the sailors who have represented Ireland at the Games since 1924.