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Irish Times
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Olympians give a splash course in the art of high-speed sailing
As the newbie in The Irish Times sports department, I am still quite excited by assignments that a more seasoned (or sensible) reporter might turn down. That's how I found myself in Dún Laoghaire , waiting to go out on a Team Ireland 49er – my first assignment that required a safety briefing. Despite having never sailed, I needn't have worried. My crew, two-time Olympians Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove , had more than enough experience to go around. Removed from the other Olympic sports which are largely based in Abbotstown, Irish Sailing's HQ is nestled behind the Commissioners of Irish Lights building near the west pier in Dún Laoghaire. By their own admission it's not the finished article. READ MORE Set up in 2019, it's comprised of three blue shipping containers – one a store, another a briefing room, the third a small gym – arranged in a U-formation. They use the changing facilities in the Irish Lights building. On the weekends, when the building is closed, they have to do without. And yet, what they do have they clearly use to great effect. Dickson and Waddilove are currently ranked fourth in the world in the men's skiff, Finn Lynch and Ewan McMahon are ranked seventh and 11th respectively in the ILCA 7 class, while Eve McMahon recently became the first Irish sailor to achieve a number one world ranking , claiming the ILCA 6 top spot. All use Dún Laoghaire as their Ireland training base. ♦♦♦♦ Of course, there's a reason for the invite. Team Ireland has renewed its partnership with Flogas, which also provides funding for athletes through its Performance Programme. For Dickson and Waddilove, that money will go towards getting outside expertise to help them with strategy and tactics. While they smile for the cameras, I nab Irish Sailing's performance director James O'Callaghan for a chat, and he tells me their master plan. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have given them permission to use the old lifeguard tower – a few minutes' walk up the marina from their current base – as a training facility. The catch? The building needs renovating to the tune of €3 million and Irish Sailing must foot the bill. 13 June 2025; The Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin as Flogas renew their partnership with Team Ireland through to LA 2028. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile *** NO REPRODUCTION FEE *** But O'Callaghan believes they now have a trump card which might get things moving – Dún Laoghaire has been picked to host next year's ILCA (Laser) World Championships, so they're lobbying the Government to get funding to bring the old lifeguard tower into use before then. ♦♦♦♦ Unsurprisingly, I came utterly unprepared in terms of kit, but thankfully I get the kind donation of waterproof overalls, a wetsuit top, neoprene boots, gloves, a helmet and a life jacket. It's my best look yet. O'Callaghan chats us through the T&Cs and then Dickson is tasked with leading the dry run. I'm put in a harness and shown how to hook myself to the trapeze which allows you to fully extend over the side of the boat while standing on the wing to counterbalance the wind in the sails. After the briefing I'm all but certain I'll be taking an impromptu swim, but it's a sunny day so I reason that I'll at least dry off quickly. Dickson and Waddilove launch the boat from the marina while O'Callaghan takes the rest of us out on a rib (that's a 'rigid inflatable boat' for the non-mariners among us). Once the lads get the 49er into open water, we're struggling to keep up with them. Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Photograph: Seb Daly/ Sports File Dickson steers from the back while Waddilove is his eyes up front, feeding him information on what's ahead and letting up and down the sail as needed. They make it look effortless and it's no wonder, their partnership has spanned over a decade and seen them to the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games. Then comes my turn. The lads manoeuvre the 49er alongside the rib allowing me to clamber aboard. Space is at a premium, so Waddilove makes way, safe in the knowledge that I'm unlikely to threaten his spot in the team. Once I've managed to hook myself to the trapeze, Dickson has us on our way and it's time to get to standing. Scooting out to the edge of the left wing, the trapeze linked to the mast taking my weight, I have to lean backwards over the side until my legs are fully extended and I'm at a 45-degree angle over the water. The lads had assured me that falling backwards isn't likely to happen because of the harness, unless I accidently manage to unhook myself, but that does little to ease the fear. Being so far reclined gives the same sensation of when you lean too far back in your chair and your life flashes before your eyes. We're hurtling north out beyond the west pier at a rate of knots (literally) and you best believe I'm hanging on to the trapeze rope for dear life (something I later come to learn was a useless exercise as it increased the chances of me accidently unhooking my harness). Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Photograph: Seb Daly/ Sports File The 49er glides through the water to start but as we pick up pace it starts to bounce over the waves, and I have to fight against the momentum to not end up flying forward into the side of the boat. Thankfully it's not too loud, because I need distracting from the thought that I'm going to fall, so I subject Dickson to a barrage of quick-fire questions. He has things well under control boat-wise, so with two of us hanging over the side of a boat, I get some interesting titbits. Dickson started sailing as a very young child; winter conditions in Ireland make it hard to train for any lengthy spell so they instead head to places like Portugal on training camps; and the 49er can hit speeds of 45km/h (or 25 knots if you want the proper lingo). How about that for an interview under pressure? He tries to show me how they can tell there's wind up ahead by the darkening of the water, but with that he's lost me. ♦♦♦♦ Back on dry land, the three of us sit down in the aforementioned gym container. After I thank them for not letting me get stranded at sea, we start by talking about the recent European Championships in Greece where they finished just outside the medals. 'I think the result maybe doesn't reflect the performance so much because we did actually have a lot of good races,' says Dickson. 'Unfortunately in the last race we had a crash with a German boat who didn't see us. It cost us a few too many points. We still had a chance going into the medal race, but we just didn't quite do enough.' But the overarching feeling is positive. The pair are still in the early stages of their return from a post-Olympic break having finished fourth at the Games. Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Photograph: Seb Daly/ Sports File '[Paris] was our best performance to date, and after the debrief we all agreed that we could go one better,' says Waddilove. On aiming for a third Olympics, he adds: 'It was quite a straightforward decision, and we believe we have the right team in place with the coaches and all the support staff, so that kind of guided the decision as well.' [ The agonising story of how two Irish sailors lost out on an Olympic medal Opens in new window ] Fourth in Paris came after a difficult start in the medal race. The flag to indicate a false start was raised, the lads weren't sure whether they were at fault so turned back to restart to avoid disqualification. The sickener was they hadn't jumped the start at all. 'We know we can do better than that, and I don't think it would feel right to leave it at fourth place,' Waddilove adds. Irish Times journalist Muireann Duffy and Irish Olympic sailor Robert Dickson at Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Photograph: Seb Daly/ Sports File 'If Paris hadn't gone the way it did, we could be sat here feeling like we're never going to be able to get close to it,' Dickson chimes in. 'But actually we did get very close. 'Even though we just missed out, it gives you more confidence that we're right there, we only need a little bit to actually achieve that medal.' The next Games may be three years away, but the medals that will catch the light of the LA sun are currently being earned in the shadows. In that regard, Dickson and Waddilove won't be found wanting. 'There's not really any magic bullet,' Dickson says of their approach for LA. 'You'd love to be able to say you can change it all up and do something completely different, but at the end of the day it's just going out and repeating the exact same things over and over a hundred times, and that's the thing that gets you better. 'There'll be small changes, and that's all really it's going to take, because we're very close, we're not reinventing the wheel.' There may yet be difficult waters up ahead, the path to the Olympics rarely runs smooth, but this pair have shown they're capable. Stick to the plan and the winds of LA may yet blow in their favour.
The Irish Sun
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘Gorgeous morning' – Shane Lowry's wife and kids visit Dublin landmark as he prepares to tee off at US Open
SHANE Lowry's wife Wendy treated their two daughters to a Dublin Zoo visit while he prepares to tee off at the US Open. Shane is over in Pennsylvania as the year's third major 5 Wendy described it as a 'gorgeous morning' Credit: @wendyirislowry 5 The monkey enclosure surely proved a hit with Iris and Ivy Credit: @wendyirislowry 5 Wendy shared this cute pic of elder daughter Iris following her little sister Credit: @wendyirislowry 5 Wendy joked Ivy was 'legit terrified' by a replica dinosaur Credit: @wendyirislowry He The Irish duo will tee off on Thursday at 12.40pm Irish time. Their second round will commence at 6.25pm Irish time. The Offaly native comes into For that result, he Read More On Irish Sport Lowry had catapulted himself into contention on Thursday with a scintillating opening-round score of six-under-par. He backed that up on Friday with a two-under round of 68. But with pal McIlroy having packed his bags at the halfway stage, the leaders struck clear on Saturday, while Lowry could only shoot another 68. He got off to a cracking start in Toronto on Sunday. The Clara man shot an eagle on the first before backing it up with three birdies on the spin. Most read in Golf But a bogey on the ninth after four consecutive pars halted his momentum. And while he steadied the ship by parring the next five, he was running out of time and holes to remain in contention. US Open release incredible video of army of lawnmowers to tackle rough as stars brand conditions 'unplayable' A birdie on the 15th kept him in the hunt but bogeys on the 16th and 17th killed his hopes off. The Team Ireland Olympian now moves on to Oakmont, where he finished runner-up to Dustin Johnson at the 2016 US Open. After wrapping up his Sunday round the 38-year-old posted an upbeat summation on Instagram. It read: "Great tournament, great people, disappointing finish. Thank you Canada, Canadian Open and sponsors RBC. On to the US Open." This will be a record-extending 10th time that the US Open will be held at Oakmont. The rough on Oakmont stands at 5 INCHES tall, with the course trimmed to ensure that is uniform throughout all 18 holes. World number one Two weeks ago he backed up his PGA Championship success with 5 The whole clan at April's Masters in Georgia, USA Credit: @wendyirislowry
Belfast Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Craigavon ski club volunteers help Special Olympians strike gold in Turin
Athletes Lucy Best and Caolan McConville recently returned from the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin with two gold medals each for Team Ireland. Their journey to the podium began on Monday nights at Craigavon's Ski Ability club, where they trained alongside long-standing volunteers Jill Coulter-Sloan and Jane McDowell. The club, which caters for people with intellectual disabilities, has been running for nearly 30 years and was originally founded for Lucy, who as a child dreamed of skiing but had no suitable local facilities. Since then, Ski Ability has grown to include members aged between 8 and 53, opening the door to winter sports for dozens of athletes. Head Coach Jill Coulter-Sloan has been involved since day one said: 'To stand at the bottom of the slope in Turin and watch them win gold – I don't think I've ever been prouder,' she said. 'It's a privilege to be part of their journey.' Jane McDowell, another long-time volunteer, first came to the club with her children more than 15 years ago. 'Now, even though the kids are grown, we're all still here,' she said. 'It's not just a ski club, it's a family. You see the difference it makes in people's lives – the confidence, the friendships – it's incredible.' The club's past highlights include a silver medal win for 45-year-old skier Cyril Walker at the 2017 World Winter Games in Austria, where he was presented with his medal by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The success in Turin comes during Volunteers' Week, as Special Olympics Ulster encourages more people to get involved with their local clubs. Volunteers play a key role in helping children and adults with intellectual disabilities train, compete, and thrive.
The Irish Sun
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Daniel Wiffen makes five-figure donation to former school as fans hail his ‘amazing gesture'
DANIEL Wiffen donated £25,000 to his former school St Patrick's Grammar School Armagh through the Olympic Legacy Fund. The donation was used to help fund a new gym for the school which 4 Wiffen cut the ribbon for the opening of the new gym Credit: @WiffenDaniel 4 The St. Patrick's alumni were joined by current students at the opening of the gym Credit: @WiffenDaniel 4 The 23-year-old was widely praised for giving back to his former school Credit: @WiffenDaniel 4 The school will now boast state of the art weight lifting equipment Credit: @WiffenDaniel The Olympic Legacy Fund is a Northern Irish initiative where Olympic medallists can choose a club or organisation to receive a donation on their behalf. £100,000 was funded by the Department of Communities to be split between six athletes who won medals at Paris 2024 Olympics for Team Ireland and Team GB. They split the fund as £20,000 for a gold medal, £10,000 for a silver and £5,000 for a bronze. Thanks to Daniel Wiffen's Read more on Irish Sport Fellow Team Ireland medal winners The Olympic 800m freestyle record holder spoke about the donation on X: "St Patrick's Grammar School Armagh, the school that believed in me from the start. "The new gym will support the next generation of Armagh athletes. Legacy isn't just about medals – it's about giving back." The lovely gesture was hailed far and wide online. BBC GAA journalist Thomas Niblock praised: "This is incredible. Most read in Olympics "Amazing gesture Daniel, and one that will support the development of all athletes of all sports at St Pat's. I'd imagine some of the staff will benefit too. Well done man." Similarly, Nancy Farrell added: "What a wonderful gesture and legacy." Leaked medical document 'proves Imane Khelif is a biological male' after winning gold in women's boxing at Olympics Lastly, someone else commented: "You really are a lovely fella Daniel." Principal of St Patrick's Grammar School, Dominic Clarke, recalled: "I think Nathan and Daniel might have been 15 or 16 when we did a number of videos in the school about up-and-coming people and the two guys were interviewed. "At that stage, they said they would like to go to the Olympics and Paris was their target." Now around eight years later, Wiffen is back at the school with two medals around his neck and a £25,000 donation. The 2024 BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year, has turned a new chapter in his career having competed for his In February the Loughborough swimmer came away with three gold medals - the 1500m freestyle, 800m freestyle, and 400m freestyle. HIT THE BUCS It marked the end of a very successful chapter in his career, with it being his final time competing at the BUCS Championships. Wiffen caps off his run with six BUCS records, over 18 titles, eight men's championships, and eight team championships. It was his first time in the pool since the Paris Olympics, and came a year after he won a World Championship gold medal. The Magheralin native has since won He finished ahead of his brother Nathan who came second in the 1500m race. However, Daniel came away disappointed as he had hoped to break a world record at the Irish Open this year. The Wiffen twins' focus will now turn to the 2028 LA Olympics qualification and hopefully they will bring more medals home for Team Ireland.
Belfast Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
NI sporting hero Daniel Wiffen ‘really proud' to donate £25k Olympic fund to former Armagh school
The swimmer (23) made history last July after becoming the first Northern Ireland athlete to win an individual gold medal since 1972. He won gold in the 800m freestyle and bronze in the 1,500m freestyle for Team Ireland in the French capital. Sharing photos as he returned to old school St Patrick's Grammar in Armagh, the athlete was pictured with current pupils at the school and the Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin. In a post on social media, Wiffen said: 'From Armagh to Paris and back again. 'Really proud to donate my full £25,000 Olympic Legacy fund to St Patrick's Grammar School Armagh – the school that believed in me from the very beginning. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. "Their support meant everything on my journey to becoming an Olympic Champion 'When I heard about the Legacy of Paris programme, I knew straight away where the funding should go. The school had plans for a new gym to support local athletes, but funding was a challenge. This donation helped bring that vision to life. News Catchup - Monday 9th June 2025 'It was a special moment to return with my brothers Nathan Wiffen and Ben Wiffen to open the new facility – one that will inspire future swimmers, GAA stars, hurlers, hoopers and more 'Massive thanks to Mr Clarke, Archbishop Eamon Martin and the whole school community for the warm welcome and continued belief. 'Legacy isn't just about medals — it's about giving others the chance to dream too.'
