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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Concern over state of slip-ways at National Rowing Centre raised at AGM
However, Williams said that rowing must continue to maintain and stretch the standards. 'That's the passport to continuing to be supported.' After some lively discussion at the Sport Ireland campus, the 38 delegates passed just three of the proposed rule changes. They reinstated the men's novice eight for the Irish Championships; tightened rules on club rowers competing overseas and allowed a later entry date for competitions. Hugh Carvill, ex-Queen's University and a member of Lady Victoria and Neptune, was elected company secretary. The one controversy of the day came right at the end. Chief executive Michelle Carpenter had spoken of the recent success at the European Championships and the very welcome improvements to the National Rowing Centre, and the prospect of new staff members. She said that improvement to the slips at the National Rowing Centre, from which rowers race, was 'a long-term project'. Skibbereen delegate and former board member TJ Ryan said that the slips issue must be addressed, as events could not be held if the current situation continued. 'If we can't run an event due to the slips being inoperable we are letting down the athletes.' The ESB controls the lake on which the course is laid, and Carpenter told the Irish Independent that 'factors beyond our control' were relevant in the slips issue, where the pontoons are not meeting the high level of the water. She said the ESB had a remit to keep the fish alive and to retain sufficient water for drinking. Rowing Ireland was working with them. There are worries about the upcoming Cork regatta. 'We will do everything in our power to make it work,' Carpenter said. International competition for Ireland continues next weekend. Para rower Tiarnán O'Donnell will compete at the World Cup regatta in Varese in Italy from June 13 to 15. He is the sole entry for the Ireland team, which will travel in numbers to the final World Cup in Lucerne from June 27 to 29.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
John Treacy takes on role as chair of Port of Waterford
Former Olympian John Treacy has begun his role as chair of the Port of Waterford, replacing Des Whelan who held the chair for eight successful years. Mr Treacy joins having completed his role as voluntary chair of Concern Worldwide alongside his role as CEO at Sport Ireland, where he led the development of Sport Ireland, delivering a variety of projects. This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Subscribe to access all of the Irish Examiner. Annual €120€60 Best value Monthly €10€4 / month Unlimited access. Subscriber content. Daily ePaper. Additional benefits.
RTÉ News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Jim Crawford seeking 'real north star' on Republic of Ireland's horizon
The back end of the Sport Ireland campus, where the FAI HQ stands, had a tranquil feel to it in the afternoon heat on Wednesday. While the blazing sun was responsible for the heightened temperature, earlier in the day, the road towards Euro 2028 had been simmering that wee bit more. While there's an entire World Cup campaign and Nations League to come between now and then, UEFA did confirm the qualification structure and the potential fate that awaits the Republic of Ireland senior team as one of the co-hosts alongside England, Scotland and Wales. The good news was that two spots at the finals tournament will be reserved for the two best-ranked host nations who don't qualify automatically. So no guarantee for the Boys in Green but the door is that bit more ajar. So it was with that backdrop that RTÉ Sport encountered Ireland Under-21 manager Jim Crawford within the FAI's press conference room with the squad he has named for next month's friendlies against Croatia and Qatar's Under-23s listed on the big screen behind him. It's an intriguing 24-man selection with a significant presence of players either produced by or still playing in the League of Ireland, including teenagers like Mason Melia and Cathal O'Sullivan who are well ahead of schedule in their nascent careers. And after near misses for in the last two Euro qualifying campaigns, Crawford is hopeful that his new crop can not only make the difference when the road towards the U21 Euros in 2027 begins in earnest from September but that the best of the bunch could have major tournament experience under their belt before 2028 when hopes are that they could graduate into a senior team that will hopefully be having a busy summer the following year. "I think that's the ultimate experience, qualifying for the European finals at 21s level and why would you say that? It's the stage that you're playing on, it's the amount of eyes that are on you from different leagues, (it) would be fantastic for the players to rub shoulders with top European players in such a stage (and) would be great for the players to learn," Crawford said. "So that to me is the experience that we're going after and I've no doubt about it, if we got to the finals and players performed well, it would certainly sky-rocket their careers wherever that is, whether Heimir takes them in for the next international window or they get a move from their current club. "But I think the possibilities would be endless for the players and first and foremost that's what we're after as a group is that the players enjoy the experience and get the most out of it. "But second to that is you stay competitive in your group to the very end and that's what we have been doing. But the real north star is to qualify for the finals." Crawford has taken particular pride in seeing some of the Under-21s he has capped getting drafted into Heimir Hallgrimsson's recent squads, with two more cabs off the rank for the seniors' June friendlies against Senegal and Luxembourg. "You've got Josh Keeley invovled in a League One play-off in Wembley Stadium (which is) brilliant and then you've got Killian Phillips... what a story that is," said Crawford fondly. "It's an amazing story where the first time I met Killian was in the FAI transition year course down in Corduff and he showed a real desire and passion for his football and then next thing I knew we were bringing him into the Under-21s and he never let us down." Phillips, who spent the season on loan at St Mirren from Crystal Palace, started out in the LOI with Drogheda United and his pathway is the most common one within the squad Crawford has named. While St Patrick's Athletic striker Melia will be linking up with Tottenham Hotspur in January after his big-money move, Cork City's O'Sullivan is being tipped to join Crystal Palace. The 18-year-old would be doing so with plenty of men's football experience in his legs given the Brexit rules have precluded a move to the UK at a younger age. And O'Sullivan's exploits mean that Crawford has no hesitation moving him up from the U19s. "Back when he was playing in the First Division, I was saying, 'OK that's great, can he now do it moving up a league into our top league?' And he has. I think he's been excellent and I'm looking forward to working with him," he said. "I haven't met him yet but I believe he's a great character and that's what we want, who we want as a group. "I know we have 24 players for this window. We want 24 players with strong characters that will do anything they possibly can to stay in this squad because, look, we had a big provisional list for this window and we had players who were also in the Premier Division, the First Division and all over Europe that haven't made it and I'm sure they're disappointed but it's about coming into camp in June, working hard and showing people how good you are as a player." Ireland will face England, Slovakia, Moldova, Kazakhstan and Andorra in the qualifiers and having taken on Scotland and Hungary in March friendlies, Crawford is hopeful that Croatia and Qatar can give his Boys in a Green another throrough examination in Zagreb on 6 and 10 June respectively. "They're the games you want. You want to be challenged. There's no point going and playing games against pot five or pot six teams where it becomes a little bit false and easy for players," he said. "Croatia first and foremost will be a real challenge to the players and it's one I'm looking forward to and I hope that the 24 players selected are looking forward to it and I've absolutely no doubt that they will."
Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
The struggle and spirit of Irish sprinters: ‘The lads are living off absolute scraps'
For Sophie Becker, the choice was straightforward. It was up to Gerard O'Donnell as her coach to spell it out: Go to Bali or invest in your sporting future. Spikes over sunsets. The Leitrim native knows what it is like to have next to nothing. He spent his first few years training in Dublin on social welfare and flat broke. His Carrick-on-Shannon childhood initially consisted of running on the road. Stick that athletics club into Google Maps and nothing appears. They have no home. Once during the Celtic Tiger, a credit card company came to town and developed a park. Their winding, gravel-filled path was soon consistently occupied by dog-walkers and O'Donnell practicing hurdles. The only time he put his foot into spikes and onto a track was for the Connacht or All-Ireland Championships. His first time in Santry was earth-shattering. An indoor area to warm up? What a wonder. He knows hardship. He knows how to get through it too. 'The athlete I work with now can achieve much greater things than I did and have already,' he says, revelling in the Dublin sunshine. What is a simple pleasure for most is an occupational gift for them. 'I don't see why they would do anything different. You have more talent, more opportunity, why put roadblocks in your own way if you can afford not to do it? I remember when Sophie first got her relay funding a few years ago. She was working full-time in Pfizer at the time and I was encouraging her to go to four days a week if it was an option. 'Then she got her funding and the next day we had a conversation. 'You know what that money is? That means you can work one day less a week, rather than going to Bali this summer.' She was like, 'I was literally looking up flights to Bali.' 'I just kept saying, 'That is a fifth of your wage or more. You can take every Friday off work now.' The next week she did exactly that. She made that decision and it paid off right away. Six months later, she went down to three days a week and now she is a full-time athlete because she can now afford to do it and she saw the benefit. 'Every Friday she had services provided in Sport Ireland; Friday she is with her physio, nutritionist, sports psychologist. Now that is a very good use of your day rather than sitting in the office for another eight hours.' O'Donnell is a high performance athletics coach, specialising in sprints and hurdles. He has recently returned from the World Relays in China where he was the head coach of the 4x400m relay teams. A seven-time national 100m hurdle champion, he can still remember looking at renowned coaches during meets and wondering if they missed competing. Now he realises one is tied to the other. Take a warm-up. As an athlete, he became incredibly rigid and diligent. The warm-up was his bible. He learned the hard way. Each injury forced him to reconsider every component of his plan. He ran it meticulously. This was one of the reasons Jeremy Lyons asked him to move from athlete to coach in the Dublin Sprint group, which now includes Olympians Sophie Becker, Cillín Greene and Jack Raftery. They are part of a recent sprint boom. At the bedrock is a dramatic improvement in facilities and funding. Tracks are popping up all over the country. Beyond that, indoor facilities in Athlone and Nenagh have been a godsend. Think about it this way: What does a kid want to do? Run fast. They don't need endless reps and endurance. Go out. Go as hard as they can in a safe, dry hub. O'Donnell didn't have such luxuries. Thankfully. 'It is frustrating in a way, but as a coach I'm more creative because of what we dealt with. What I mean is if we rock up to a track with no shelter, no toilets, no anything, it is pissing rain, everyone is wondering how do we get a warm-up done and I'm used to it. 'I know how you can get strong and fast with good basics. So hop on a track and you can fly. That is easy. How do we do the work without the track? During lockdown I was like, this is fine. 'I was probably under-trained throughout my teenage years. I wasn't hitting max velocity in training because you couldn't on the road in trainers. You are not on the track in spikes with a tail wind. 'But I know lads that were a year younger than me, you go to a competition and they beat you, you think they are just super talented. In one case, years later I was chatting to him and he was telling me his dad had them basically on a training camp all year long. He was reading Ben Johnson's training logs. 'He had his 13-year-olds doing plyos down the central reservation of a motorway while they were on holidays in France. I was running twice a week and a bit of high jumps. It got me thinking, maybe talent wasn't the factor here. But he doesn't make it past 20 in the sport and I didn't win my first national senior title until I'm 26. Which would I trade for? I'd definitely take what I got out of it.' They have it good. In Guangzhou, the women's 4x400m relay team and the mixed team secured qualification for the World Championships. The women's foursome featured three of the team that finished fourth in the Paris Olympics last summer. Becker opens her individual season in Brussels this weekend. It could be better. There is an urgent need for more indoor tracks. The funding increase is yet to substantially impact coaches. Sport Ireland's recent funding allocation continued the trajectory of investing significantly in high-performance sport. It can also function as a reward for performance, rather than rewarding future success. Take Cillín Greene and Jack Raftery. Both Olympians. Both in the top 10 for the all-time 400ms. 'The lads are living off absolute scraps. They got more funding this year because the relays did well last year, but Jack is in college and Cillín is working part-time because they have no other option.' Part of the problem is the lack of different revenue streams. Others can skip around the country and pocket some prize money from a local 5km. That option doesn't exist for sprinters. 'The stress of money kills athletes. They are constantly scraping and scrimping. I need to book that flight for 6am, because it is €200 and the other one is €400. It completely impacts my performance but I can't afford to book the comfortable one. I know one lad, if you gave him 100k this year, he'd break the national record. The money he is on now means he will run this time. 'It is going up and getting better, because lads are running better. Which is funny, it arrives after you really need it. Suffer through and then it starts to come.' Imagine the position this puts coaches in. They know their athletes have little money and the impact it has on their performance. They have to survive as well. There is a Sport Ireland stipend for coaching that is divvied out by Athletics Ireland. Last year, Dublin Sprint received €10,000. At the time, they had three coaches. It might cover the cost of one camp abroad. This season, they returned to training in October and funding is yet to materialise. Gerard O Donnell of Carrick-on-Shannon AC, Leitrim, Matthew Behan of Crusaders AC, Dublin, and David Dagg of Dundrum South Dublin AC, Dublin, on the podium after the mens 110m hurdle final at the Irish Life Health National Senior Track and Field Championships 2022 at Morton Stadium. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile One possible solution is to add a separate fund to athlete funding dedicated solely to coaching. Of course, there is more to this rich spell than money. Trace the roots of this hot streak. A spark. Suitable soil to ignite it. A trailblazer. For his group, it was Cork's Phil Healy. In the early days, that was their mantra. Be like Phil. 'Phil was the benchmark for so many years. 'Phil is able to do it.' She is super talented and a national record holder but it was always, 'Look what she is doing.' Phil was the hero for our whole group. She is gritting it out with Shane McCormack down in Cork or Waterford, not off in Florida or Tenerife. 'She is amazing. Competing at international level since 2014, from 60m up to 400m. She just gets out and gets it done. Why can't we have that attitude? Sophie went down and did sessions with Phil, got her ass handed to her. It was literally, someday I can get close to Phil.' Dublin Sprint continues to go from strength to strength. They are not affiliated to any club. It has all the benefits of team sport, training partners to share encouragement and the workload, without any obligations to take in more members. This team is carefully constructed, piece by piece, to suit themselves. Some of them are Olympians. Some have a good attitude and a car to take others to training. Everyone has to make it work. That's the culture. In Irish athletics, optimism is not so much a feeling as an act of faith. 'Part of it is you don't want to show people the skeletons in the closet. There is enough griping and negativity around the place. So it can seem like, fake it until you make it. Let everyone think it's great and maybe it becomes great. Sponsors, backers, the general public come on board. But also, we need our athletes to think a certain way too. 'They need to think, 'this is the best setup for me right now. If I was in Florida or Spain, the weather is better, but I wouldn't have my family close by. I wouldn't have access to same quality coach and physios. Would I be happy?' They need to be in the mindset that this is the best for me. I have given myself the best chance to succeed. It's about putting yourself in the situation that will get the best out of you. 'It's not 'why am I in Dublin instead of America where they have this and that?' It is 'why would I want to be anywhere else?' If you are not happy with the setup you have created, you are going nowhere.'
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
What the rows over skorts and public toilets reveal about Irish attitudes to equality
It is usually the case that the law lags behind changes in social norms. However, two unrelated recent controversies bely the reality that Ireland has had nearly 50 years of gender anti-discrimination law and 25 years of anti-discrimination legislation in relation to services, including public toilets, sports and sporting facilities. The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights duty – which requires public bodies such as Dublin City Council and Sport Ireland to promote equality and human rights when they are carrying out their functions – has been in place for 11 years. The recent controversies are about the requirement for camogie players to wear skorts and the proposal to close Dublin city centre's last public toilets, a plan aborted after an outcry and opposition from all city councillors, who condemned it as 'ludicrous'. Ireland was once a European leader in combating discrimination. In the early days of the equality legislation more than 40 years ago, the Labour Court interpreted the employment equality act as providing protection against discriminatory dress codes in the workplace, which required female employees to wear skirts or dresses. READ MORE However, equality and human rights standards now seem to be unknown or forgotten. Ten years after the historic marriage equality victory, we appear to be still working to advance rights and equality for all. Take the question of the future of the capital's remaining public toilets, operated for the last five years by a private company, which is going out of business. Dublin City Council has backed down from the planned closure but it shouldn't take an outcry for the council to provide toilets for the use of citizens and visitors. In 2020 the council opened toilets at two locations, on Grafton Street and on Wolfe Tone Square on the city's northside. The northside toilets were subsequently relocated to Ryder's Row off Capel Street and decommissioned in 2022 with the council citing 'complaints of antisocial behaviour in the area and low usage'. A worker puts the finishing touches to the newly installed public toilets at the top of Grafton Street, at St Stephens Green, Dublin in 2021. Those toilets will remain open, the city council has said. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Toilets are a basic human right. Access to facilities is not just a matter of convenience. It is about preserving health, equality, safety, dignity and privacy for all. These human rights concepts are reflected in documents ranging from our Constitution to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has been interpreted as requiring states to 'ensure that everyone, without discrimination, has physical and affordable access to sanitation in all spheres of life, which is safe, hygienic, secure, socially and culturally acceptable, provides privacy and ensures dignity'. The human right of access to sanitation is particularly relevant to anyone with small children, a disability, continence issues, or who is pregnant, menstruating or breastfeeding. It is also a huge concern for the thousands of people in Dublin experiencing homelessness, including the families who have to leave emergency accommodation B&Bs after breakfast. The lack of public toilets also contributes to environmental pollution. Stepping over human faeces is a sad fact of Dublin life these days. [ Camogie skorts controversy can be explained by a single photo Opens in new window ] The legally-binding Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty should require human rights, equality and poverty-proofing of the plans, policies and decisions of public bodies such as Dublin City Council before they are implemented. Dublin City Council said it would close the toilets due to reduced demand. Are equality and human rights factored into its considerations about the provision, or lack of provision, of public toilets? The skorts rule – which is due to be voted on this evening by the Camogie Association – represents the enforcement of outdated gender stereotypes and conventions, and can be seen as the exercise of power and control over women's bodies. There are a number of measures open to public bodies to help ensure the dignity and privacy of camogie players are respected. [ U-turn on Grafton Street toilets as council reverses 'ludicrous' closure plan Opens in new window ] Organisers of sporting events and facilities like Camogie Ireland are subject to anti-discrimination law. The Camogie Association receives significant financial support from the State. In granting public funding Sport Ireland can look to promote equality by requiring non-discriminatory dress codes. It is valid to ask to what extent Sport Ireland requires those granted significant public funding to equality-proof their rules and regulations. Ireland's national and human rights and equality body IHREC has used its power to request 'equality reviews' to promote equality of opportunity in sport. It recently published an account of one such equality review it invited Gymnastics Ireland to undertake after an independent review into a ' botched children's medal ceremony ', which saw the judge omit to present a medal to the only black child present. The IHREC intervention, which requested that the equality review focus more generally on the structures and practices put in place following the independent review, resulted in Gymnastics Ireland adopting 'a strong policy and procedural framework to protect and promote [equality of opportunity]'. A similar intervention in the camogie context would be welcome. It is also available to IHREC to conduct an inquiry into the matter – or other issues such as the lack of accessible public toilets – either of its own volition or at the request of the Minister for Equality. IHREC has recently exercised its unique statutory powers in combating systemic issues, such as the shameful mistreatment of single male asylum seekers. After a campaign led by FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) for a review of Ireland's inadequate and flawed equality legislation, the Government recently published the General Scheme of an Equality Bill and committed to prioritising it. While it requires some improvement and expansion, the Bill contains a number of powerful provisions and its enactment would be a positive statement of intent from our recently appointed Minister for Equality. Ireland has a vibrant and diverse array of community and civil society groups who are committed to human rights and equality, and who can work together to achieve a fairer and more inclusive society. Access to public toilets and freedom of choice for camogie players would be two basic but important steps towards that society. Eilis Barry is chief executive of FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres)
