SPORTSFILE
The Irish Olympic team training
State, the question of Olympic entry from a 32-county Ireland represented by its President M.V. Rowan of Neptune RC and
was debated and re-affirmed at four international Olympic Holloway, was elected unanimously to FISA and was therefore
committee meetings ranging from Paris in 1924 to Berlin in the first athletic unit recognised as an all-Ireland body at the XIV
1930. In 1932, Bob Tisdall, 400m hurdle and Pat O’Callaghan, Olympiad. It was a laudable photo-finish considering
hammer, won gold medals; the 32-county status was thought to competition started on the morrow.
be ensured in spite of persistent objections from British Some of our final hours of training were alongside the British
representatives, which were constantly over-ruled until 1934. crew, whom we could beat transiently off the starting stake-
The day came. The twin towers of Wembley stadium came boat; the objection of other crews ended this liaison. Our
into view. We were going on parade with increased confidence exercise times over parts of the course proved favourable and
in our entry. As we took our place, it appeared that the parade superior to some of our competitors, but on the day we were
signboard read Éire rather than Ireland. A rather polemic beaten in our heat by Canada and Portugal, and by Norway in
discussion ensued between the assistant Chief Marshal and the repechage.
Comdt. J.F. Chisholm, the Irish Chef de Mission. The latter To quote Michael Johnston in his comprehensive book on
pointed out that our entry was submitted and accepted as Senior Championship rowing, entitled The Big Pot, “They lost
‘Ireland’ as the English language was mandatory in context, so their races but held the Thin Green Line and brought Ireland
for example, España marched as Spain. The Marshal’s convincing into the world of real international rowing for the first time.”
riposte was that he always wrote ‘Éire’ when writing to his Irish
brother-in-law; this was followed by an awesome threat to trap Memoria
us in the tunnel. Joe Hanly and Barry McDonnell were both heavyweights on the
Our team manager instantly assessed the situation and when 1947 and 1948 championship crews, and subsequently
we were directed to march in line after Iraq, declared forcibly Presidents of OCBC. Hanly was also Vice-Captain of UCDBC in
that there were thousands of Irish people in the stands ready to 1947. McDonnell died in 1976 and Hanly in 1996. The sympathy
cheer their team and it would be a huge disappointment if we of all UCD oarsmen was extended to their wives, Helen, who was
failed to march, on a matter of neology. Inaugural President of UCDBC Ladies, and Jane, respectively. In
1997, Hanly was honoured posthumously in the presence of Jane
On stream and Dr Art Cosgrove, President of UCD, by naming a fine new
Along with 58 nations, we marched as Éire, saluted King George VIII boat ‘Joe Hanly’ in the presence of Barry Doyle, President
Vl, were cheered loudly by our own and by countries like India UCDBC.
which had recently gained independence, as we worried about
losing a day’s practice on the water. Resurrecti Sumus
The Olympic torch, carried through a peaceful Europe, arrived In 1998, the 1948 Olympic crew were honoured in the presence
and Cambridge athlete John Mark lit the Olympic flame. The of some 170 crews competing in the Irish National Rowing
King proclaimed the games open and Sir Malcolm Sergent, of Championships. Inscribed trophies and pennants were
the Albert Hall promenade concerts, conducted the orchestra presented by Tom Fennessy, President of the IARU. Three
and choir in a stirring performance of the Londonderry Air. surviving members of the UCD crew were also recently
Meanwhile, upstream to Henley, the 32-county body IARU, honoured at the Boat Club dinner.
UCD CONNECTIONS PAGE FIFTY THREE
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