Olympic rowing heroes O'Donovan and McCarthy celebrate success at Skibbereen homecoming

They were paraded through the town on an open-top double decker alongside fellow Skibbereen Rowing Club Olympians Aoife Casey, Emily Hegarty, Jake McCarthy and international lightweight coach, Dominic Casey.

Also feted were the rowing club’s other elite athletes at u23 and u18 level, including Finn O’Reilly, Kelly Oforji, Ailise O’Sullivan, Moya Knowles, Dominic Casey, Mattias Cogan, Aoife Hendy, Jessica Crowley, Hazel Deane and Alannah Keane, who have all competed at national and international level over the last year.

Students from Fintan and Emily’s former primary school, Kilcoe NS, and from Paul and Aoife’s former national school, Lisheen NS, were also involved in the parade of champions.

And while the homecoming was organised by Skibbereen Rowing Club with the support of Cork County Council, it also involved young representatives from various other sports clubs in the town, in what organisers billed “a celebration of sport” they hope will inspire a new generation of sports stars to greatness.

“We have Olympic champions walking the streets here so that kind of success in sport, at the very highest level, is very tangible to us here in Skibbereen so we hope that the young people involved in the homecoming, no matter what sport they are involved in, be it rowing, GAA, kickboxing, or gymnastics, will all be inspired by this,” a club spokesperson said.

St Fachtna's Silver Band and the Ballingeary Pipe Band accompanied the bus and parade down North Street, onto Main Street and then into the town’s historic Fairfield where RTÉ broadcaster Jacqui Hurley interviewed the Olympic rowers on stage.

They reflected on Paul and Fintan’s sensational performance in Paris in early August when Paul became the first Irish athlete ever to medal at three different Olympic Games – his 2016 silver in Rio, with his brother Gary, his gold at the delayed Tokyo games in 2021, and gold again in Paris with Fintan in August.

Fintan, 27, a back-to-back Olympic gold medalist, also joined the exclusive club of Irish Olympians who have medaled at two separate Games.

And then just two weeks after winning Olympic gold, Paul was back in a boat to win gold in the lightweight men's single sculls event at the World Rowing Championships in Canada — his seventh world rowing title.

Rowing since the age of eight, his remarkable success on the world stage since his first world title in singles in 2016, followed by singles titles in 2017 and 2024, his world titles in doubles in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, all interspersed with his Olympic medals, cements his reputation as one of Ireland’s greatest ever athletes.

But as ever, Paul was taking it all his stride, playing down his success and achievements with his trademark deadpan humility, while thanking the people of Skibbereen for their support.

“A bit of luck goes a long way. A lot of things I’ve tried my hand at that I’ve failed at fairly miserably,” he said.

I don't think there’s anything special really about my success. It’s a lot of hard work and dedication and taking a bit of enjoyment in what you do helps you put in the long hours.

“It’s not any magic that I have. I often feel that I’m just prepared to put in a lot of hours into some of the things.” He urged young kids to find something they love doing and work hard at it.

“Have some big aspirations. Anything is possible,” he said.

“I enjoy rowing and doing all the training so I don’t feel like I need a holiday.” Fintan said it’s been a month since the Olympics and he feared few would turn up but that he delighted to finally be able to share the success with the town.

“To get home and see the joy that everyone has for us, and who are just so happy to have us back, and see us doing our thing, it’s just really nice,” he said.

The last month has been hectic he said, catching up with everyone.

“We’ve been meeting people, and catching up and that’s the nice part. Sharing it with friends and family. They’ve probably had to take a bit of a back seat in our lives over the last few years so it’s nice to celebrate with them, and share the success,” he said.

“Because they are there not just for the good days but for all the failures, all the bad days.

“There’s another Olympics in LA. We have had a good few years so hopefully we can continue the success.” He credited the atmosphere and the culture down in the rowing club for their success.

We have people to look up to who have done it before. It’s a blueprint of how to succeed in rowing and hopefully we’re continuing it on for the next crowd.

“We always push each other. We’re always trying to improve, trying to get better than the day before. It’s consistency really.” And he said being out of the Olympic bubble for the last month has been not as relaxing for him as people might think.

“It’s actually nearly easier when you’re in the routine of training and rowing. I am not built for this staying up late craic. I’ve been a bit broken over the last month but am starting to get back to myself and we’ll have a good day today,” he said.

“I’ve had about maybe three or four sessions just to keep myself ticking over. I do think I needed the break.

“It’s nice not to have to ask your body the hard questions every day. But I am looking forward to getting back into shape because you feel great when you’re fit and training and in a routine.” 

Among the guests of honour at the event were Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Mayor of Cork County, Joe Carroll, the chair of Rowing Ireland, Neville Maxwell, the captain of Skibbereen Rowing Club, Seanie O’Brien, the club chairman, Seán Murran, and its president, Nuala Lupton.

Also in attendance were TDs, Christopher O’Sullivan, Holly Cairns and Michael Collins, the chief executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell, Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop Paul Colton, Canon John Ardis, and Fr Donal Cahill, Lisheen.

Mr Martin said it is an extraordinary achievement for Skibbereen and its rowing club to have produced so many Olympians.

“It really is an extraordinary feat and probably without question the town that has produced the most effective, successful Olympians in the history of Irish Olympic participation,” he said.

“I really want to pay tribute to all concerned, and to the young athletes themselves who have carried themselves with great dignity, humility and reflected well on their coaches and their families and above all the community of Skibbereen.” 

Bennie McGrath, who travelled specially for the homecoming from Durrow, near Tullamore, met a new friend in Marguerite McGauran, who had also travelled specially to event, from Kinnegad in Westmeath.

They were enjoying a coffee together in the town centre and soaking up the atmosphere. Bennie said: 

I just think their commitment, dedication and complete focus is to be admired. And the whole rowing team. Whatever it is in Skibbereen that can produce excellence and expertise is just phenomenal.

 Marguerite said just thinking about Paul and Fintan’s achievement made her emotional.

“I’m so proud of them. I’m going to cry now,” she said. “They are local people. It could be you or I or the next person. And they’re out representing Ireland, our country, and it could be your son or daughter the next time. I’m so proud of them.”

Skibbereen Rowing Club was formed in 1970 by founding members Danny Murphy, Donie FitzGerald and Richard Hosford.

They had no clubhouse and their sole boat was stored on the riverbank beside Deelish Pier.

In 1971 the club affiliated to the Irish Amateur Rowing Union and invested in a second-hand coxed, four-oar, outrigger rowing boat, which introduced Olympic-class rowing to Skibbereen and West Cork.

Today, it one of Ireland’s most successful clubs, with around 80 members, from under 12s right up to under 23s, seniors and masters, with several Olympians in its ranks.