Golden girl to get an open-top bus tour
OLYMPIC champion Kellie Harrington will return home today to huge celebrations in her native city.
She will arrive at Dublin Airport at just before 2pm to be greeted by her partner of 12 years, Mandy Loughlin, and her mother Yvonne, father Christy and brothers Christopher and Joel.
After speaking to the media, our golden girl will head to Clonliffe House pub to start an open-top bus tour around the north inner city. Since Kellie is a cleaner at St Vincent’s hospital in Fairview, she cannot come into contact with any of the public and will not descend from the bus.
Covid restrictions mean there will not be a civic reception.
The bus will set off at 5pm before heading to Portland Row in Summerhill, where her family’s neighbours will be able to welcome the Olympic gold medallist home.
Dublin City Council said Portland Row’s famous five lamps would be lit in gold to acknowledge her glorious return home.
The bus will then turn onto Killarney Street and up Sean McDermott Street. It will then head again towards Summerhill and onto North Strand.
Dublin City Council asked crowds not to descend on Portland Row and instead respect the people who live there.
Former Lord Mayor and north inner city independent councillor, Christy Burke said there would be enough time and room for every person to see the returning Olympic champion.
Postboxes, bins and bollards have been painted gold ahead of her return. Kilkenny hurling fan
John Crowley, 59, from Poulrone, Mooncoin, even delivered a bag of potatoes to her family to congratulate her while on his way to Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park.
Mr Crowley often brings a sack of potatoes to trade for an unofficial parking space while watching matches but this bag was a special delivery with his own note congratulating the family.
However, Dublin City councillor Nial Ring said he thought more than potatoes should welcome
Kellie on her return.
He said he had asked the Lord Mayor to nominate Kellie for the Freedom of the City.
He said: ‘Kellie’s achievements must be formally recognised with her being conferred with the highest award the city can give, the Freedom of the City.’ The earliest that can be discussed is next month when Dublin City Council meets. Neighbours of the Harrington family on Portland Row are understandably excited. David McDermott, 30, told the Mail that Kellie’s success in the Games would be beneficial for the community. ‘It’s good for the area. She’s very wellliked,’ a delighted Mr McDermott said. An Post also celebrated the Dublin Olympian by painting a post box gold near the Harringtons home. The postal service wrote on social media it was ‘Extending the celebrations from Portland Row to our Summerhill postbox’ and added it was ‘sending love to Kellie in Tokyo’.
The postbox in question was painted gold with black lettering that read: ‘Congratulations Kellie. Send a celebration. Send triumph. Send love.’
And it wasn’t just Kellie who was receiving extra special attention
Nominate her for Freedom of City
Fire fighters gave bouquet of flowers
yesterday. Dublin’s Fire Brigade presented her proud parents with a handsome bouquet of flowers.
Kellie, 31, won gold at the Tokyo Olympics for women’s lightweight boxing on Sunday. Her spectacular victory sealed the fourth medal and second gold for Ireland at the Games.
It means this Olympics has the third-largest Irish medal haul, joint with the Atlanta 1996 Games when Michelle Smith won three golds and a bronze for swimming.