Barely time for a pizza, let alone girlfriends
National treasures the O’Donovan brothers ‘may come across as happy-go-lucky, but they’re deadly serious about their sport’
THEY’RE Ireland’s most eligible bachelors but Gary and Paul O’Donovan have no time for love in their lives.
The Skibbereen brothers won Ireland’s first ever medals in Olympic rowing on Friday after taking silver in dramatic fashion.
While their home town toasted the national heroes, the O’Donovans have revealed that the highlight of their celebrations was eating pizza after the race before heading to bed.
‘It was a bit of a circus after the race, we were running around. There was media and we had to go the RTÉ studio and trying to get around Brazil takes time. and there was a lot of standing around and talking to people and that kinda stuff,’ Gary told Brendan O’Connor on RTÉ Radio One.
‘By the time we got back to the village it was about 8pm and we went over and had some dinner, because we hadn’t eaten all day, and then we were knackered, so we went to bed.’
They also revealed that the idea of having a girlfriend hasn’t been on their agenda for a long time.
Paul said: ‘I haven’t had a girlfriend now in a spell. You’ll be getting us into trouble here now, Dominic [Casey, their coach] won’t like to hear that.’
Already European champions, the pair are focusing on a regatta in Rotterdam next week where Paul competes in the single sculls, leaving them little time to bask in the glory of their achievement.
Gary said: ‘We always said rowing is a hard enough sport without making it harder, so we try to have as much fun around it and enjoy it the best we can. We’ve been having a bit of craic with the other athletes, it’s great fun around the village.’
The brothers revealed yesterday that they had been threatened with suspension from their rowing club in Skibbereen by Dominic Casey for high-jinks when they were younger.
‘He did, yeah... a couple of times I’d say. He’s always threatening to kick us out the door. He didn’t know the half of what we were up to because if he did, I’d say we’d have definitely been gone.’
The pair said their dream was always to win the gold, so they were disappointed but nonetheless delighted to win silver. Paul added: ‘We can’t complain about it.’
Looking to the future he said: ‘There are rowers who keep going until they are 40 or something at least. There’s a Belarussian girl there and this is her seventh Olympics, and a lad there from Norway it was his sixth this year. So, you could do plenty of them if you wanted.’
The brothers have become famous for their post-race interviews. The day after one of their races was cancelled due to high winds, Paul said: ‘We were almost disappointed we couldn’t race yesterday, it would have been a bit of craic.’ And Gary joked: ‘We’re well used to a bit of wind. That kind of thing wouldn’t faze us at all.’
But it was their line about their strategy that captured the imagination of the public. Gary said food at the Olympic village is crucial, explaining in his best West Cork lilt: ‘The food is fantastic there like, you could have steak for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with spuds if you like.’
Paul added: ‘It isn’t too complex really. A to B as fast as you can go and hope for the best. Close the eyes and pull like a dog.’
Indeed while the boys are focused on sport, their home town has been having some sport of its own doing all the celebrating for them – with many joking Skibbereen was closed for business.
On the day of the race, one credit union branch had a sign in the door saying no service available during the vital 30 minutes of the race.
Their parents Teddy and Trish were in Rio beaming with pride at the finish line. Teddy used to row with Skibbereen Rowing Club, and coached the lads until they hit 18.
While the relaxed brothers clearly enjoy a joke their family revealed the dedication that has taken them to the Olympic podium. Trish said: ‘Everyone who knows them knows they have been striving for this Olympic dream since they first got into the boat when they were young.’
Their uncle Peter O’Donovan said: ‘The lads are a bit like you’ve seen on the TV interviews but don’t let the smiles and the laughter fool you. They may come across as happy-go-lucky but they are deadly serious about their sport.’
‘We’ve been having a bit of craic’ ‘Olympic dream since they first got in a boat’