On the opening evening of the EOC Athlete’s Forum last week, the Irish Olympians Association took the opportunity to honour a select number of Irish Olympians as representatives of the Irish Olympic movement, with athletes spanning the generations and representing an array of sports. The recognition event was the brains of President of the Irish Olympians Association Ronnie Delany and Vice-President John Bouchier-Hayes.
The CEO of the World Olympians Association (WOA) Mike Miller attended the event where Olympians were presented with OLY pins and Certificates of Recognition of their Olympic moments. Every Olympian has the opportunity to apply to the WOA to claim their OLY – which is a post-nominal recognition of their being an Olympian – and are added to the end of the name similar to PhD.
Shane O’Connor OLY
Shane O’Connor represented Ireland in Alpine Skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He is also the Chair of the OFI Athletes’ Commission.
Michael Ryan OLY
Michael Ryan represented Ireland in Fencing at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.
Phil Conway OLY
Phil Conway represented Ireland in the Shot Putt at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Grainne Murphy OLY
Grainne Murphy represented Ireland in Swimming at the London Olympics in 2012
Natalya Coyle OLY
Natalya Coyle is still in competition, and represented Ireland in the Summer Olympics in London 2012 and in Rio 2016. Thanks to her dominant performance at the European Championships in Bath earlier this year Ireland secured one of the qualifying spots for women in Tokyo 2020.
David Wilkins OLY
David Wilkins is one of only two Irish Olympians to compete in five Olympic Games (the other being Rob Heffernan in Race Walking). David competed for Ireland in Sailing in Munich 1972, Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980, Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1988, and won a silver medal in the Flying Dutchman in the Moscow Olympic Games.
Michael Curruth OLY
Michael Carruth is a two time Olympian, having competed in Seoul 1988 and in Barcelona 1992 where he won the Gold Medal in the Welterweight Men’s Boxing category.
David Harte OLY
David Harte competed for Ireland in hockey in the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, as the goalkeeper and team captain. David was voted FIH Goalkeeper of the Year on two occasions, and sits on the OFI Athletes’ Commission. He is also the Secretary of the EOC Athletes’ Commission.
Ronnie Delany OLY describes his favourite memory from the Olympic Games and the friendships you make.
