The Team Ireland Centenary Olympic Ball brought together more than 700 guests at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin Sunday night to commemorate Ireland’s 100 years of Olympic participation. The evening celebrated the athletes who have represented the country since the 1924 Paris Olympics, with nearly 300 Irish Olympians in attendance, as well as sponsors and supporters. The event was hosted by Olympians David Gillick and Greg O’Shea and welcomed by Minister Thomas Byrne and European Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos.

Each Irish Olympic athlete was honored with an official number symbolizing the achievement of having competed in the Olympic Games. The awards ceremony was the highlight of the evening, celebrating the achievements of exceptional athletes, while Sarah Keane, President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, received the Order of Merit for her contribution to Irish Olympic sport.

RECOGNITION OF IRISH OLYMPIANS

The evening was enlivened by performances from Nicole Lonergan on electric violin, the Galway Tenors and Liam O’Connor, and videos of Olympic moments were also screened. The atmosphere of celebration and pride was enhanced by a combination of traditional music and visual tributes, organized in collaboration with Inform Sport Media.

The Olympic Federation of Ireland extended its thanks to Paul Byrne Media, Sound to Light, Lia Q Bell and the team at the Clayton Hotel for making this event possible. In addition, each guest received a commemorative gift and a book on Ireland’s participation in the Paris Games, with contributions from journalist Clíona Foley and Andrea Kavanagh of Resonate Design, bringing the evening to a memorable close.