SAY WHATEVER YOU want about the classic Irish pastime of begrudgery, when one of our own does well, we’re fully behind them all the way.
There’s something very singular and special about the pride one feels when watching Ireland doing something damn well on the international stage. At the end of the day, seeing hard work rewarded and recognised is a happy thing.
So, to celebrate some of our proudest sporting moments, we’ve rounded up the best of the best victories…
Think Ireland have never managed to beat the All Blacks? Well, you’ve got that all wrong, because our fantastic female rugby team knocked them off their pedestal last year – the first time the New Zealand women had lost a World Cup game since 1991. What an achievement.
The Italia 90 FIFA World Cup will go down in the annals of Irish history – the first time and only time we made the quarter finals. And we got there on penalties against Romania. Pretty epic.
In summer 2012, offices downed tools, cafés and pubs were glued to TVs and everyone stopped what they were doing – to watch Katie Taylor beat Russia’s Sofya Ochigava in the final bout, taking home the Olympic gold for Ireland. It had the double honour of being the first Olympics in which women competed in the ring.
The 1985 world final, watched by 18 million viewers well after midnight on BBC, goes down in history as one of the most cheering triumphs of an underdog in snooker history. Irishman Dennis Taylor faced the world number one, reigning world champ Steve Davis. After a famously tense final frame, Taylor potted the black – the first time ever the title was decided on a black. What a comeback – and what a win.
And then, of course, there’s our golfing talent. Over the past years and last few Majors, we’ve had successes with the likes of Darren Clarke, G-Mac and of course Harrington and McIlroy… Not too shabby, really.
Sonia O’Sullivan in one word: legend. For most of the early 1990s and early 2000s, she was one of the world’s leading female 5000m runners. Her list of medals is almost endless, but includes an Olympic silver in 2000 and a gold in the 1995 World Athletics Championships.
And then there was Carruth – who took home the gold for Ireland in the Barcelona 1992 Olympics. Just look at that celebration…
One of the most emotional matches in rugby history – Ireland versus England, 2007, Croke Park. The result? 43-13 to Ireland. And the crowd goes wild.
You can enjoy a proud Irish pint with Clonmel 1650′s refreshing pilsner-style lager. It has a slightly fruity, estery nose, with a subtle hoppy character. Clonmel 1650 is proud of being an Irish choice – celebrating the resilience of the Irish spirit that all our sporting heroes embody. And just like these athletes, we’ve won a gold medal or two… For more information, check out our Facebook page.
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