About Us

The Irish Sailing Performance Pathway programme builds, nurtures and develops world-class athletes who bring home medals.

The Performance Pathway is made up of Junior, Youth, Academy, Development and Olympic squads. It provides young, talented and ambitious Irish sailors with opportunities to move up through the ranks from an early age.

With up to 100 young athletes training with the Irish Sailing Performance Pathway, every aspect of their performance is planned and closely monitored while strong relationships are simultaneously built with the sailors and their families. To read more about the Pathway view our most recent Handbook here which covers every aspect of Irish Sailing's Performance Pathway.

History of Irish Olympic Sailors

1948 - London (Torquay)

  • Firefly: Jimmy Mooney
  • Swallow: Alf Delaney, Hugh Allen
  • Reserve: D St J Sullivan
  • Management: Billy Mooney, Errol McNally

1952 - Helsinki

  • Finn: Alf Delany
  • 1956 Melbourne
  • Finn: J. Somers Payne

1960 Rome

  • Flying Dutchman: Johnny Hooper, Peter Gray
  • Dragon: Jimmy Mooney, David Ryder, Robin Benson
  • Finn Class: J. Somers Payne
  • Reserve: Neil Hegarty
  • Management: Clayton Love Jnr, Alf Delaney
  • Boatman: Jimmy Miller

1964 Tokyo

  • Dragon: Eddie Kelliher, Harry Maguire, Rob Dalton
  • Finn: Johnny Hooper
  • Manager: Leo Flanagan

1968 Mexico City - Sailing in Acapulco

  • No competitors

1972 Munich - Sailing in Kiel

  • Tempest: David Wilkins, Sean Whitaker
  • Dragon: Robin Hennessy, Harry Byrne, Owen Delany
  • Finn: KevinMcLaverty
  • Flying Dutchman: Harold Cudmore, Richard O'Shea
  • Reserves: Curly Morris, Joe McMenamin
  • Management: Peter Gray, Ken Ryan, Kare Brevik

1976 Montreal - Sailing in Kingston

  • 470: Robert Dix, Peter Dix
  • Flying Dutchman: Barry O'Neill, Jamie Wilkinson
  • Tempest: David Wilkins, Derek Jago
  • Management: Ken Ryan, Jock Smith

1980 Moscow - Sailing in Talinn

  • Flying Dutchman: David Wilkins, Jamie Wilkinson - SILVER MEDAL
  • Management: Michael Maguire, Tom Clancy
  • 1984 Los Angeles
  • Finn: Bill O'Hara
  • Management: Mick Wallace

1988 Seoul - Sailing in Pusan

  • Finn: Bill O'Hara
  • Flying Dutchman: David Wilkins, Peter Kennedy
  • 470(Women): Cathy MacAleavy, Aisling Byrne
  • Reserves: Maeve McNally, Conrad Simpson
  • Management: Michael Wallace, Con Murphy

1992 Barcelona

  • Europe: Denise Lyttle
  • Flying Dutchman: David Wilkins, Peter Kennedy
  • Star: Mark Mansfield, Tom McWilliam
  • Reserves: Denis E O'Sullivan, Conrad Simpson
  • Management: Michael Wallace, Mark Lyttle, Trevor Millar

1996 Atlanta - Sailing in Savannah

  • Laser - Mark Lyttle
  • Europe - Aisling Bowman(Byrne)
  • Finn - John Driscoll
  • Star - Mark Mansfield & David Burrows
  • 470 (Women) - Denise Lyttle & Louise Cole
  • Soling - Marshall King, Dan O'Grady & Garrett Connolly
  • Management - Derek Jago, Paddy Boyd, Anne Blaney and Bill O'Hara

2000 Sydney

  • Europe - Maria Coleman
  • Finn - David Burrows
  • Star - Mark Mansfield & David O'Brien
  • Management - Bill O'Hara, James Hynes, Garrett Connolly, Paddy Boyd, Anne Blaney

2004 Athens

  • Europe - Maria Coleman
  • Finn - David Burrows
  • Star - Mark Mansfield & Killian Collins
  • 49er - Tom Fitzpatrick & Fraser Brown
  • 470 - Gerald Owens & Ross Killian
  • Laser - Rory Fitzpatrick
  • Management - Garrett Connolly

2008 Qingdao

  • Star - Peter O'Leary & Stephen Milne
  • Finn - Tim Goodbody
  • Laser Radial - Ciara Peelo
  • 470 - Gerald Owens & Phil Lawton
  • Management - James O'Callaghan

2012 London

  • Star - Peter O'Leary & David Burrows
  • Laser Radial - Annalise Murphy
  • 49er - Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern
  • Laser - James Espey
  • 470 - Ger Owens & Scott Flanigan

2016 Rio

  • Laser Radial - Annalise Murphy - SILVER MEDAL
  • 49er - Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern
  • 49erFX - Saskia Tidey & Andrea Brewster
  • Laser - Finn Lynch

2020 (21) Tokyo

  • Laser Radial - Annalise Murphy
  • 49er - Robert Dickson & Seán Waddilove