Who are Ireland's famous Olympic athletes?

Answer 1

Some Famous Irish Olympians:

• Dave McAuley, boxer
• Sonia O'Sullivan, Olympic medal winner
• Michael Carruth, boxer, Olympic medal winner
• Eamon Coughlan, runner
• Michelle Smith - disgraced Olympic swimming medal-winner
• Ronnie Delaney - Olympic medal winner/athletics
• John Pius Boland - double Olympic medal-winner/tennis,1896
• Pat O'Callaghan - Olympic gold medal/hammer, 1928, 1932
• Bob Tisdall - Olympic gold medal/400mH, 1932
• John Treacy - Olympic silver medal/marathon, 1984
• Stephen Martin, Hockey- Olympic Gold and bronze medallist 1984/88

Other Irish sports people:

• Eddie Irvine, Formula One driver
• Paul McGinley, golfer
• George Best, footballer
• Barry McGuigan, boxer
• Jonjo O'Neill, jockey
• Roy Keane, footballer
• Robbie Keane, footballer
• Damien Duff, footballer
• Shay Given, footballer
• Niall Quinn, footballer
• Colm O'Rourke, Gaelic Athletic Association GAA footballer
• Sean Boylan, long-time manager of All-Ireland winning Meath football team
• Mick O'Dywer, successful Gaelic inter-county football manager
• Brian O'Driscoll, Rugby player
• Keith Wood, rugby player
• Elizabeth Hawkins-Whitshed, 19th century mountaineer
• Ruby Walsh, jockey
• Eamon Dunphy, soccer player turned media commentator and broadcaster
• Mick McCarthy - former Republic of Ireland football manager
• Sean Kelly, cyclist
• Stephen Roche, cyclist

Answer 2

As of the 2008 Games, the Irish athlete that has won the most Olympic medals is swimmer Michelle Smith who won 4 (3 gold, 1 bronze) at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. One other Irish athlete has won more than one Olympic medal, that being hammer thrower Pat O'Callaghan who won gold at the 1928 and 1932 Games.

Answer 3

The first Irish born Olympic medalist was John Pius Boland who won gold in men's singles tennis and men's doubles tennis at the 1896 Games in Athens. He was born in Dublin and competed for the team from Great Britain.