History of Ireland in the Winter Olympics

The Irish Looking for Personal Bests at Whistler 2010 Games

Nov 9, 2009

Ireland's brief history in the Winter Olympics began in 1992 and athletes have only missed the 1994 Games since. There will be an Irish presence in Whistler 2010.

Ireland is not a nation known for winter sports but their winter Olympians persevere and strive for Winter Olympic glory. The participation of the athletes is unlikely to result in Olympic medals at this young juncture in their history, but it has spurred growth in winter sport participation in the small nation. Pat Hickey, president of Olympic Council of Ireland told RTE Sport prior to the Turin Games in 2006, "More and more Irish people are taking winter sport holidays and this has fuelled the interest in a major way."

Plans are being made for an indoor ski resort, a 100 million Euro project, just outside of Dublin. The facility hopes to attract one million visitors annually. It will most certainly encourage increasing numbers of Irish to try out winter sports. Many Irish take ski breaks in Europe and the hope is they will take their ski lessons in this facility first. Perhaps a medal contender will emerge or at the very least, a winter Olympian to carry on the Olympic tradition that began in Albertville 1992.

First Winter Olympic Irish Athletes

Four bobsledders participated in the 1992 Albertville Games. Two members of the bobsleigh team, Pat McDonagh and Terry McHugh had previously represented Ireland in the Summer Olympics. McDonagh competed in rowing in 1980 and 1988, while McHugh threw javelin in 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000.

Best Result for Irish Winter Olympian

In the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, when the skeleton event was reinstated after 50 years absence, Clifton Hugh Lancelot de Verdon, 6th Baron of Wrottesley, finished 4th overall. He had been very close to a bronze medal but just finished outside medal position. He told Steve Bunce, The Independent, February 24, 2002, that "I've shown what can be achieved and I just hope I inspire young Irish athletes to take winter sports seriously." Lancelot de Verdon went on to manage the Olympic team at the Winter Games in Turin.

Irish Women of the Olympic Winter Games

Irish women first participated in the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City 2002. Tamsen McGarry competed in Alpine skiing and her sister Kirsty McGarry followed in her footsteps in Turin 2006. Kirsty will again compete at the Games in 2010, hoping to improve on her 32nd place finish in the giant slalom and her 42nd placing in the slalom event.

Irish Team for Whistler 2010

Although Ireland does not have an extensive history to draw on in the Winter Olympics, one of the athletes has significant experience - only in the Summer Games. Paul Griffin, representing Ireland in cross-country skiing, finished 6th in Athens and 10th in Beijing in the rowing competition. He had used cross-country skiing as part of his rowing training and decided to take it further.

The team for 2010 has yet to be confirmed but the following, in addition to Griffin, are likely participants:

Ireland's Connection to 2010 Winter Games

John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC), originally hailed from Tipperary, Ireland. Furlong has said that, "Being involved with the Olympic Games was all I could think of", after seeing the 1964 Toyko Summer Games on television.

As the face of the 2010 Games, Furlong has travelled over 1.2 million miles promoting Vancouver's bid to host the Games.

If the Irish athletes need any more motivation to succeed and aspire to Olympic greatness, they need look no further than their transplanted countryman. When Furlong landed at the Vancouver airport more than thirty years ago, he was greeted with the words, 'Welcome to Canada - make us better'. Maybe Furlong will motivate his countrymen and make them better.

The copyright of the article History of Ireland in the Winter Olympics in Winter Olympic Games is owned by Lorah Delaney. Permission to republish History of Ireland in the Winter Olympics in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.