The Olympics are over

or

What do I watch on the telly now?

So, the Olympics are over.  It was indisputably Ireland's best since 1956, but was it our most successful Olympics ever?  Well, in 1956, Ron Delaney got gold in the 1500m, Fred Tiedt got Silver in the Welterweight boxing and John Caldwell, Frederick Gilroy and Anthony Byrne came home with bronze in the Flyweight, Bantomweight and Flyweight boxing respectively.  So far, a match to the 5 medals achieved by Katie Taylor, John Joe Nevin, Cian O'Connor, Paddy Barnes and Mick Conlon in 2012.

Both games were also significant in terms of female participants.  Maeve Kyle was the first female athelete sent to represent Ireland, in the 1956 Olympics.  Unfortunately, she came last in both her heats running the 100m in 12.3 seconds and the 200m in 26.4 seconds.  But, she went, she ran, she participated.  She deserved praise, glory and support from Irishwomen and men alike, she got abuse and derision.

What about the Proclamation?

The Irish Republic is entitled to, and hereby claims, the allegiance of every Irishman and Irishwoman. The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and all of its parts, cherishing all of the children of the nation equally and oblivious of the differences carefully fostered by an alien government, which have divided a minority from the majority in the past.

2012 was also a step towards equality of the sexes with the introduction of women's boxing.  And our own Katie Taylor, 4 time World and now Olympic Champion, was a key factor in making this happen.  Boxing for women is finally an Olympic sport.

In many ways it is deeply upsetting that we still have to make these inroads into equality in the 21st century.  I remember, in secondary school, there were a wide range of sports available and also that teachers talked a lot about equality between the sexes.  On the surface, they were talking the talk but the girls had to wear skirts, soccer for girls didn't happen until I got to 5th year and we weren't even allowed to discuss boxing for girls. Yes, we did have boxing at our school, but only if you had a penis.  In fairness there was also discrimination against the boys.  From what I recall, they weren't allowed to pierce their ears and I remember one boy in my year getting pressurised into cutting his hair (I think he chose to get suspended instead, but my memory may not be accurate).

Now, around 25 years later, Katie, along with her fellow female boxers, has shown the world that women can box and the hurt and confusion I felt at age 12, due to not being allowed to do something for no reason other than I was lacking a Y-chromosome, is vindicated.  I was right to feel anger and despondent and was not just 'a silly girl'.  Up to then, I had thought that the woman's lib movement had dealt with gender equality decades earlier.  Yes, admittedly I was naive, but I was only 12.

In terms of Irish Olympians, we sent 65 athletes to London in 2012.  In 1956, the total was 18, 12 to Melbourne and an equestrian team of 6 to Stockholm.  The equestrian events had to take place in Sweden, due to quarantine restrictions in Australia.  Of the non medal winners, the highest ranked was Gerry Martin who came 4th in the men's light-heavyweight freestyle wrestling.  We were also represented by Éamonn Kinsella in the 110m hurdles, John Somers Payne in the Finn class  in sailing, and 3 additional boxers and a 6-person equestrian team.  So we sent more atheletes to London this year, participated in a wider range of events and achieved 2 rather than a single 4th place but the Olympics has expanded over the years, so in terms of most successful, I think it's a photo-finish.

Now the games are over and as if in an effort to bring us all back to reality, the weather has turned with the met office issueing gale warnings (and a blight warning - watch those spuds, people). But, as Eric Idle reminded us at the closing ceremony, we should "Always look on the bright side of life..."    And, besides, it'll all kick off again in exactly 2 week time (29th August) when the Paralympics take centre stage.  Go Ireland!! Woop, woop!!