Limerick man goes to Olympics, takes two gold medallists home – The Irish Times

It is not everyone can say they went to the Olympics and brought home two gold medallists, but that’s exactly what Kieran Duggan found himself doing this week when he gave champion rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy a lift home to Co Cork.

Limerick native Kieran had watched on television on Friday as the pair won the Men’s lightweight double sculls. Two days later he flew to Paris with friends to see the equestrian events at Versailles, and he was flying back on Tuesday when he found himself seated near McCarthy on the plane.

“There were quite a number of Irish Olympians on the plane – they were all wearing their Team Ireland gear – but we quickly realised Paul and Fintan were on the plane, so everyone was congratulating them on their success,” said Kieran, who lives in Mallow in north Cork.

“When we landed at Dublin Airport, I asked Fintan how they were getting back to Cork and he said that they were hoping to get the Aircoach if it wasn’t booked out. So one of the lads in my group said ‘sure, Kieran is going to Cork – he can bring ye’ so I told them I had plenty of room.

“Fintan said ‘I might take you up on that’ so I thought I had better hang on for them because they were delayed a bit at the carousel in the baggage hall, so that’s how I ended up giving Fintan and Paul and Natalie Long, who was part of the women’s fours, a lift back to Cork.”

Kieran explained it took them nearly 15 minutes to squeeze the three rowers and all their luggage into his car with the boot packed to the brim. Paul and Natalie could hardly see each other in the back seat such was the stack of luggage between them.

So what do you talk to newly crowned Olympic champions about during a three-hour car journey to Cork?

“We chatted most of the way down, and we were talking about everything and anything really – everything from the team sports that boys had played when they were young fellows to what was happening in America with Trump and Kamala Harris.

“I think what you see is what you get with them – they are very down to earth, very grounded people and humble. They were even offering to fill my tank when we got to Cork, but what was very clear as well is that they are very intelligent and very sharp and exceptionally driven as well.

“I’m still pinching myself because I was going to change my flight and stay on for Kellie Harrington’s fight, but I didn’t and was just in the right place at the right time. I mean to give two of Olympic gold medallists a lift home is unreal – it’s just such an amazing experience to have.”

A homecoming in Skibbereen for the Olympic gold medallists will be delayed until after the World Championships in Canada that start on August 18th.