At a time when Ireland’s stock has never been lower internationally our sport stars continue to be an immense source of pride to Irish people all over the world
- 2 years before London 2012 Ireland has won 19 medals in international competition across a variety of sports – in 2006 this figure was 9
- Graeme McDowell’s thrilling final round at Pebble Beach to become US Open Champion
- Ireland selected to host final leg of Volvo Ocean Race 2012 beating off stiff competition from other cities around Europe
- Derval O’Rourke winning a silver medal at the European Athletic Championships
- Katie Taylor becoming World Champion for the third time and International Female Boxer of the Year for the second time
- Grainne Murphy winning a European Silver Medal at her first ever senior championships
- Padraic Moran winning a gold medal at the World Boccia Championships
- Tipperary overcoming the legendary Kilkenny team in the All Ireland Hurling Championship
- Cork winning the All Ireland Football Championships
- Wexford being crowned All Ireland Camogie Champions
- Dublin showing real resilience to win the All Ireland Ladies Football Championship
- Madeline Perry winning the Australian Open Squash Championships & reaching a career high ranking of 5th in the World
- 5 medals at European Senior Boxing Championships finishing second to Russia in the overall medal table
- All Ireland’s hockey teams are competing in the “A” Division of European competition for the first time ever
- Munster & Leinster reaching the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup and Leinster also reaching the Magners League Final
- Connacht reaching the semi-finals of the Amlin Cup only to lose to Toulon on a sell-out night at the Sports Ground
- Derek Burrnett taking silver at the European Clay Pigeon Shooting Championships
- 3 of our 4 participating athletes winning medals at the IOC sanctioned World Combat Games
- Dan Martin winning the Tour of Poland, his maiden UCI Pro Tour stage race
- U17 Girls Football Team – European Championship Finalists & World Cup Quarter-Finals
- The Irish effort of Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington, Rory McIllroy & vice-captain Paul McGinley at the Ryder Cup
- Peter O’Leary won the gold medal for the Star Class at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta the biggest event on the World Cup Series beating 5 Olympic Gold Medallists in the process
- Leona & Lisa Maguire – youngest ever members of the European Curtis Cup Team
- 23 year old Nigel Callender becoming the first Irish person ever to win the British Bouldering Championships
- Aileen Morrison bronze medallist at Triathlon World Cup event in Hamburg – Triathlon Ireland have 3 athletes qualified for London 2012 up from 1 representative at Beijing 2008
- 15 year old Bertram Allen winning the European Pony Show Jumping Championship 2010 & the Irish Team winning the Aachen Nations Cup
- 18 year old Ciara Mageean 1,500m silver medallist at the World Junior Athletic Championships
- 20 year old Craig Breen being selected as one of six best young rally drivers by the world motorsport governing body, the FIA
- Louk Sorensen becoming the first Irish player in the modern era to qualify and win a round at a Grand Slam Championship whilst U-18 players Sam Barry and John Morrissey made it into the Top 100
- 18 year old Ryan Burnett winning gold at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore
- Mark Rohan winning a gold medal at UCI Paracycling World Road Championships a year after taking up the sport
- Irish Surfer, John McCurry being awarded the International Fair Play Diploma for excellence in sportsmanship
- Irish Judoka Lisa Kearney winning silver at the GB World Cup making qualification for London 2012 a real possibility
- Irish Gymnasts winning bronze at the European Junior Tumbling Championships
Without exception those individuals and teams that we are so proud of have all benefited from the funding that government puts into Irish sport.
