The Olympic Federation of Ireland has released the Team Ireland Media Guidelines booklet for Paris 2024. The complete guide to the Irish Olympic team profiles the athletes selected to compete at the Paris Olympic Games, with action beginning on the 24 July 2024.
DOWNLOAD HERE: Team Ireland Media Guide for Paris 2024
Ireland celebrates 100 years of competing as Team Ireland in the Olympic Games this year. In 1924, a 48-person team represented Ireland as a nation in the Games, which also took place in Paris. This guidelines booklet also includes some significant key historic Irish Olympic moments as well as a guide on how to follow the sports.
The 2024 edition of Team Ireland is a 133 person team, across 14 sports. The Olympic Games in Paris 2024 boast a 50/50 gender balance, and the Irish team almost replicates this with 64 female athletes and 69 male athletes – a 48/52 balance.
In terms of geographical breakdown, the counties with the largest representation are Dublin (34 athletes), Cork (16 athletes), and Co. Down (14 athletes). Only two counties are missing from the ‘home county’ list – Westmeath and Leitrim, although both countries have tight connections with Team Ireland athletes.
History will be made by Fionnuala McCormack, marathon runner, when she becomes Ireland’s first female athlete to compete in five Olympic Games. Equestrian athletes Cian O’Connor and Austin O’Connor will become four-time Olympians.
There will be seven three-time Olympians including Olympic Champion Paul O’Donovan. Thomas Barr, Ciara Mageean Mark English (all athletics), Leona Maguire, Stephanie Meadow (both golfers) and Shane Ryan (swimming) complete the list.
The youngest team member is Grace Davison (swimming), at 16 years old, while the oldest is soon-to-be four-time Olympian Austin O’Connor (eventing).
There are plenty of family connections within the team – Sophie O’Sullivan (athletics), is the daughter of Olympic medallist Sonia O’Sullivan. Rachael Darragh (badminton) is the niece of three-time Olympian Chloe Magee, and Leona Maguire is the cousin of Ross Corrigan (rowing). Siblings Aidan and Michaela Walsh (boxing) are both competing once more, and track athletes Jodie and Luke McCann.
A significant number of ‘twins’ are on the team, with canoe slalom athletes Madison and Michaela Corcoran both competing – the daughters of 1992/1996 Olympian Mike Corcoran. Athlete Brian Fay is Ireland’s first quadruplet, and seven athletes on the team are a twin; Noel Hendrick (whose twin narrowly missed qualification), Fintan McCarthy (whose twin Jake is also on the Irish rowing team), Daniel Wiffen (whose twin Nathan narrowly missed qualification), Leona Maguire (whose twin was her caddy previously), and David Harte (whose twin Conor competed in Rio 2016). Fiona Murtagh (rowing) and Clare Boles (rugby) also have a twin.
Competition kicks off tomorrow, Wednesday 24 July (Day -2) when the Men’s Rugby Sevens team compete in the pool rounds. Daily updates will be issued via Sinead Naughton, media liaison for Team Ireland in Dublin, [email protected].
Schedule 24 July 2024:
17:30 (16:30 Ireland) Rugby Sevens – Ireland V South Africa
21:00 (20:00 Ireland) Rugby Sevens – Ireland V Japan