THOUSANDS of fans descended on Skibbereen this Sunday afternoon for the homecoming that celebrated the incredible exploits of Skibbereen Rowing Club’s Olympians at the Paris Games.
In scenes reminiscent of the celebrations after the Rio Olympics in 2016, the West Cork town came to a standstill to celebrate Skibb's four Olympic rowers, the back-to-back Olympic champions Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, Aoife Casey and Emily Hegarty, as all four put their hometown on the world map again this summer.
Jake McCarthy, twin brother to Fintan and back-up in the Irish lightweight men's double, and coach Dominic Casey were also lauded for their part in this success story.
The Olympians were paraded through the streets of Skibbereen on an open-top bus, as the celebration started just after 3pm. Thousands of fans cheered on their heroes as they made the way to the Fairfield in the centre of Skibbereen, where a huge crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of their local heroes.
Interviewed on the big stage by RTÉ's Jacqui Hurley, the trailblazing Skibbereen rowers shared memories of their Paris adventures, their journey from the Ilen Rover to the Olympics and the role their community has played in their stories.
Club chairman Sean Murran, captain Sean O'Brien and the legendary Nuala Lupton all addressed the crowd too, as did Tanáiste Micheál Martin. There was also a brilliant rendition of Dear Old Skibbereen by Dave O'Brien on a day that will live long in the memory of all in attendance.
