As the dust settles on Paris 2024, I’m off to practise my artistic swimming for LA2028

Our columnist will miss the thrills ‘n’ spills of this summer’s Olympics, but in between watching the superstars on TV, she’s had her own fun and frolics in the local bumper cars 

• YOU’D be half wrecked after the Olympics wouldn’t you?

There was hardly a child washed in the house as we were all glued to random things like skateboarding and break dancing, not to mention the epic rowing and edge-of-seat track and field
events.

My own personal favourite was the synchronised swimming (now called artistic swimming). I find it absolutely mesmerising and mind-blowing. I’d struggle to even manage an under-water tumble (I’d be challenged to do one over the water too, to be honest) so I’m literally speechless at what they can do – and make it look so effortless, that’s the key.

Anyway as the dust settles on the 2024 games, my simplistic ‘take home’ was that it was a brilliant job all round.

Our athletes did themselves proud, lifted our spirits and inspired the younger generation, and even middle-agers like myself.

The coverage was also superb, from this newspaper (I hope everyone has our recent Olympics supplement tucked away in a memory box or scrapbook as it was something special) to the team at RTÉ.

I have to give a special mention to my 10-year-old nephew Ed McCarthy from Skibbereen (a committed Southern Star reader) who spent a few days with us when the Olympics was at its peak.

A long-jumper himself, he was able to effortlessly reel off the stats and facts and it felt like we had our own Rob Heffernan or Tim Harnedy in-house. His enthusiasm was infectious and now we all want to be a sprinter or a hammer thrower or even a bag holder for LA 2028.

If I put my mind to it, could I pull off the artistic swimming I wonder? Unlikely, but that’s how inspired we’re all feeling right now. Anything is possible!

And there’s still the Paralympics to look forward to – just as well it only happens every four years, sure we’d get nothing done.

• In other news this week I’m gone half mad with festival fever. The Timoleague annual summer festival is in full swing and the going is mighty. At any given time I’m either in a bumper (being driven by an excitable eight-year-old and saying silent Hail Marys that I don’t end up with an expensive dental bill); using the bumpers as leverage to get something done (‘we’ll go on the bumpers tonight if you tidy your room/eat your dinner etc etc’) or threatening not to go on the bumpers (‘that’s it! I’ve had it! There’s no bumpers tonight! I mean it!’ ... when everyone knows I don’t meant it at all).

You could say I’m going round in circles ... the story of my life. More seriously, though, I applaud everyone who sits on a festival committee and gives of their time and talents to organise events like this that bring so much joy.

Trojan work goes on behind the scenes with many a meeting held on dark winter nights to bring it all together and keep communities thriving, so well done all.

• I tried something new and novel last week – car bingo. It was part of Courtmacsherry’s festival and it was an absolute blast!

It was my very first time playing Bingo and for the first few rounds I was convinced that I was the ‘chosen one’ and had a lucky touch – I didn’t actually realise that all the numbers will come up in every round! (I’m not the sharpest like that).

But once I found my stride, I couldn’t get enough. I didn’t win a penny, mind you, but that was beside the point. The post bingo high was so high, I’m thinking about buying myself an ‘official’ bingo clipboard and marker and working West Cork’s bingo circuit. I probably need a bit more practice, though – I’ve heard the competition is fierce.

• Speaking of buying things, I saw something interesting online the other day, a conversation highlighting the fact that just because we’re facing into a new school year, it doesn’t automatically mean we need to buy new things.

Of course we all love the new and shiny stuff, but the suggestion was to use the old stuff, if it’s still in working order. I’m going to sound like an awful ‘dose’ now, but I really try to ‘buy once and buy well’ and my smallie is going into her fourth year with the same school bag which isn’t bad going.

Now, I’ll admit that the bag was so big on her in juniors that at the beginning it used to unbalance her, and she’d fall backwards, in a very unnerving way, but there were no major injuries (to her or the bag) and she eventually grew into it.

We’re on year three with the lunchbox as well (must be something to do with it never being opened too much!), but letting the side down are our water bottles.

We’ve had spectacularly bad luck with leaky water bottles so if anyone has any recommendations, we’ll gladly take them. Anyway, I’m just throwing that idea out there – personally I’ll be taking it on board, mainly as I’m experiencing some current cash flow issues after the bumpers and the bingo!

• Finally, I wasn’t going to say anything but I can’t resist ... aren’t the evenings drawing in a bit all the same? It’s funny how it sneakily creeps up on us. As I’m staying out of shops I can’t verify this, but I’ve heard there are Halloween themed displays out already – way too soon. I’m still holding out for an Indian summer in September – that’s one back-to-school idea I’ll readily buy into!