Student Sport Ireland would like to wish everyone involved with Team Ireland the best of luck over the next couple of weeks, as they participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. With it being 100 years since Ireland first had athletes represent our country at the Olympic Games, there is a rich tradition of college and university students wearing the green jersey in the games.
This year, there are 15 current students and 59 recent graduates who are members of Team Ireland, which shows the huge importance of the investment into sport right across the third-level education sector. Along with athletes taking part there is support staff and coaches who are also working with Team Ireland for Paris 2024.
Student Sport Ireland conducted a Self-Assessment Activity Report in 2022 to measure the role of sport and physical activity across its member institutions. This research showed that third-level institutions are central to the development pathway of elite athletes, providing supports including scholarship programs, academic supports and the provision of state-of-the-art facilities.
Third-level institutes annually invest an average of over €11 million in the provision of sports and physical activity, with all third-level institutes now having dedicated staff structures to support the provision of sport and physical activity.
Over 8,000 scholarships/bursaries were offered to elite athletes across the island of Ireland from 2015-2019, adding up to an average investment of €565,000 per institution. There was an average capital investment of €6.25 million per institution from 2015-2019, and the average investment in sport and physical activity provision was €2.73 million per institution, €221.40 per student, across the four years.
At the 2021 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, 52% and 48% of the respective Irish delegations were either current third level students or recent graduates. Of the 8 medals won by Irish athletes at the 2021 Olympics, a total of 6, 2 gold and 4 bronze, were claimed by current or recent graduates, of the third-level education system.
Current Students in Team Ireland – Nathan Imoney (Queen’s University Belfast) – Rowing, Erin Creighton (Queen’s University Belfast) – Track Cycling, Rachel McCann (Queen’s University Belfast) – Athletics, Sean Waddilove (Technological University Dublin) – Sailing, Rachael Darragh (Technological University Dublin) – Badminton, Andrew Smith (Technological University Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Ben Johnson (Technological University Dublin) – Hockey, Beibhinn Parsons (Dublin City University) – Rugby 7’s, Jack Raftery (Dublin City University) – Athletics Mixed 4x400m Relay, Nicola Tuthill (University College Dublin) – Athletics Hammer, Claire Boles (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Emily Lane (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Eve McMahon (University College Dublin) – Sailing Women’s Dinghy, Margaret Cremen (University College Cork) – Rowing Lightweight Double Scull, Kate O’Connor (Ulster University) Athletics Heptathlon.
Recent Graduates in Team Ireland – Phil Doyle (Queen’s University Belfast) – Rowing, Ross Corrigan (Queen’s University Belfast) – Rowing, Konan Pazzaia (Queen’s University Belfast) – Rowing, Sean Murray (Queen’s University Belfast) – Hockey, Michael Robson (Queen’s University Belfast) – Hockey, Ashleigh Orchard (Queen’s University Belfast) – Rugby 7’s, Johnny McKee (Queen’s University Belfast) – Hockey, Peter Brown (Queen’s University Belfast) – Hockey, Lee Cole (Technological University Dublin) – Hockey, Jenny Lehane (Dublin City University) – Boxing 54kg, Andrew Coscoran (Dublin City University) – Athletics 1500m, Jodie McCann (Dublin City University) – Athletics 5000m, Sophie Becker (Dublin City University) Athletics – 400m, Women’s 4x400m, 4×400 Mixed Relay, Brian Fay (Dublin City University) – Athletics 5000m, Fionnuala McCormack (Dublin City University) – Athletics Marathon, Cathal Doyle (Dublin City University) – Athletics 1500m, Kelly McGrory (Dublin City University) – Athletics 4×400 Relay, David Harte (Dublin City University) – Hockey, Erin Riordan (Dublin City University) – Swimming 400m Freestyle Relay, 400m Medley Relay, Ciara Mageean (University College Dublin) – Athletics 1500m, Luke McCann (University College Dublin) – Athletics 1500m, Mark English (University College Dublin) – Athletics 800m, Sarah Healy (University College Dublin) – Athletics 1500m, Sarah Lavin (University College Dublin) – Athletics 100m Hurdles, Lara Gillespie (University College Dublin) – Cycling Team Pursuit, Megan Armitage (University College Dublin) – Cycling Women’s Road Race, Aoife Clark (University College Dublin) – Equestrian Eventing, Ben Johnson (University College Dublin) – Hockey, Benjamin Walker (University College Dublin) – Hockey, Jamie Carr (University College Dublin) – Hockey, Jeremy Duncan (University College Dublin) – Hockey, Shane O’Donoghue (University College Dublin) – Hockey, Paul O’Donovan (University College Cork & University College Dublin) – Rowing Lightweight Double Scull, Eimear Lambe (University College Dublin) – Rowing Women’s Four, Bryan Mollen (University College Dublin) Rugby 7’s, Eve Higgins (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Gavin Mullin (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Harry McNulty (University College Dublin) Rugby 7’s, Hugo Keenan (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Lucy Rock (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Megan Burns (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Niall Comerford (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Terry Kennedy (University College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Darragh Greene (University College Dublin) – Swimming 100m Breaststroke, Erin Riordan (University College Dublin) – Swimming 4x100m Freestyle Relay, 4 x 100m Medley, Aoife Casey (University College Cork) – Rowing Lightweight Double Scull, Emily Hegarty (University College Cork), Rowing Women’s Four, Aifric Keogh (University College Cork, University of Galway & Trinity College Dublin), Rowing Women’s Pair, Fintan McCarthy (University College Cork) – Rowing Lightweight Double Scull, Phil Healy (University College Cork & South East Technological University Waterford) – Athletics 4x400m Relay, 4x400m Mixed Relay, Mary Fitzgerald (University College Cork) – Athletics Discus, Thomas Barr (University of Limerick) Athletics Mixed 4x400m Relay, Sharlene Mawdsley (University of Limerick) Athletics 400m, Mixed 4x400m Relay, 4x400m Relay, Fiona Murtagh (University of Galway) – Rowing, Jack Kelly (Trinity College Dublin) – Rugby 7’s, Danielle Hill (Ulster University) – Swimming 100m Backstroke, 50m freestyle, 400m freestyle, Medley Relays, Victoria Catterson (Ulster University) – Swimming 400m Freestyle, Peter McKibbin (Ulster University) – Hockey, Jonathan Lynch (Ulster University) – Hockey Reserve, Stacey Flood (National College of Ireland) – Rugby 7’s.
Team Ireland Support Staff – David Sweeny (Dublin City University) – Field Event Coach, David Fitzgerald (Trinity College Dublin) – Elite Goalkeeping Coach, Peter Sherrard (Trinity College Dublin) – Olympic Ireland CEO, Jim O’Donovan (Trinity College Dublin) – CMO Team Ireland, Alison Keogh (Trinity College Dublin) – Hockey Umpire, Mark McCabe (Trinity College Dublin) – Strength & Conditioning Sailing Ireland, Anne-Marie Mulholland (Ulster University) – Rugby 7’s Nutritionist, Sharon Madiagan (Ulster University) – Team Ireland Nutritionist, Kevin McGuigan (Ulster University) – Performance Analyst Team Ireland Swimming, Karolyn Gaston (Ulster University) – Volunteer, Dr. Jon Rudd (University of Galway) – Aquatic Team Leader, Heather O’Boyle (University of Galway) – Head of Communications Team Ireland.
Team Great Britain – Rebecca Edwards (Queen’s University Belfast) – Rowing, Jack McMillan (Ulster University) – Swimming 4x200m relay.
Team Canada – Jeremy Bagshaw (University of Limerick) – Swimming.
Team Australia – Sinead Diver (University of Limerick) – Athletics Marathon.
