Impressive sporting endeavours should make us proud to be Irish

SIR,

Appropriately, these lyrics from an old Frank Sinatra song were spot on as we watched Irish athletes compete this past weekend with every fibre of their being to make us as proud as we could possibly be of them and of Ireland.

Here’s to the winners, lift up the glasses

Here’s to the glory still to be Here’s to the battle, whatever it’s for

To ask the best of ourselves then give much more.

The Irish women’s hockey team. They won silver at the World Cup in London. They were not even supposed to be in the mix but crashed their way straight through to the final. What glory! What inspiration! Soon enough, Gillian Pinder, Anna O’Flannagan and Ayeisha McFerran will be household names as well they should be.

The Kerry men’s football team. They won and they won decisively. They hit the pitch knowing they had to win, and they did exactly that with courage, conviction and decisive team work. Look at it any way you like, these men are true winners, and no one can say otherwise.

The boys from Skibbereen! Again, Paul and Gary Donovan have demonstrated that they are a force to be reckoned with by adding another silver medal to their vast and impressive collection as they stood proudly on the podium at the European Championships. Everyone knows all eyes will be on them at the World Rowing Championships next month. Just makes you so proud to be Irish, doesn’t it?

Yours

Tom Cahill Ballinskelligs

Photo Craig Mercer/Sportsfile Nicola Daly, Roisin Upton, Deirdre Duke, Zoe Wilson and Elena Tice celebrate with silver medals after the Women’s Hockey World Cup Final.