Offaly at the Paris Olympics & Paralympics

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games will commence at 6:30 pm on Friday evening (26th July) along the River Seine in Paris. 

Seven  of Offaly’s leading sportspeople will proudly represent the nation at this year’s Olympic Games and Paralympics: 

1. Megan Armitage in the Olympic Women's Road Cycling
2. Megan Burns in the Olympic Women’s Rugby 7s 
3. Jordan Conroy in the Olympic Men’s Rugby 7s 
4. Shane Lowry in Olympic Golf 
5. Grainne Walsh in the 66kg weight category in the Olympic Women’s Boxing
6. Darragh Kenny in the Equestrian
7. Nicole Turner in the Swimming in the Paralympics.

For those interested in following the progress of our county’s competitors, the following is the best information we have to date. 

Jordan Conroy will be first up in the Men’s Rugby 7s. The pool stage for the Men’s rugby will commence tomorrow (Wednesday 24th July) ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony.  Ireland has been drawn in Pool A together with team from Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.  Pool stage matches as follows: 

• Wednesday 24th July at 4:30 pm - Ireland v South Africa
• Wednesday 24th July at 8:00 pm - Ireland v Japan
• Thursday 25th July at 3:30 pm - Ireland v New Zealand 

Following the Pool stage, the following are the knock out times leading to medal finals:

• Thursday 25th July commencing at 8:00 pm - Quarter Finals   
• Saturday 27th July commencing at 2:30 pm - Semi Finals 
• Saturday 27th July at 6:00 pm - Bronze Medal Final
• Saturday 27th July at 6:45 pm - Gold Medal Final

* Update: The men's rugby 7s pool stage commenced yesterday with Ireland winning their first 2 matches against South Africa and Japan. Tullamore's Jordan Conroy scored the opening try in the first of the 2 matches. Irrespective of the final pool match this afternoon against New Zealand, the Irish team will contest a quater final this evening. 

* Update: Congrats to the Rugby 7s Mens teams on finishing 2nd in Pool A. A very close final match v's New Zealand. Best of luck to Jordon and all the team in tonights quarter finals against the defending gold medalists Fiji.

Megan Burns will take to the Rugby field on Sunday 28th July in the first of the Pool B matches.  Ireland are drawn against Australia, Great Britan and South Africa in the Pool stages of the women’s rugby.  Matches as follows: 

• Sunday 28th July at 2:30 pm - Ireland v Great Britian 
• Sunday 28th July at 6:00 pm - Ireland v South Africa
• Monday 29th July at 1:30 pm - Ireland v Australia 

Following the Pool stage the following are the knock out times leading to the medal finals: 

• Monday 29th July commencing at 8:00 pm - Quarter Finals 
• Tuesday 30th July commencing at 2:30 pm - Semi Finals 
• Tuesday 29th July at 6:00 pm - Bronze Medal Final 
• Tuesday 29th July at 6:45 pm - Gold Medal Final

Shane Lowry will compete in the individual stroke play golf over 4 days, from Thursday 1st August to Sunday 4th August.  The tournament commences at 8:00 am each morning. 

Megan Armitage will take to the bicycle for the 158km (98.2 mile) road cycling race on Sunday, 4th August from 1pm.

As yet we do not have the exact time for Grainne Walsh’s opening bout in the 66kg boxing. However, the following are outline times for anyone following the boxing (66kg weight category): 

Opening bouts – Round of 32

• Sunday 28th July between 12:08 pm and 2:30 pm
• Sunday 28th July between 4:22 pm and 7:00 pm

Round of 16 

• Thursday 1st August between 10:48 am and 11:30 am 
• Thursday 1st August between 3:18 pm and 4:06 pm 
• Thursday 1st August between 7:32 pm and 8:04 pm 

Quarter Finals

• Saturday 3rd August between 4:06 pm and 4:38 pm 
• Saturday 3rd August between 8:36 pm and 9:08 pm 

Semi Finals - Tuesday 6th August between 9:34 pm and 10:06 pm 

Final - Friday 9th August at 9:51 pm 

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Two and a half weeks after the Olympic closing ceremony, the Paralympic Games will run from Wednesday 28th August to Sunday 8th September.

Nicole Turner, from Garryhinch will again take to the pool at the Paralympics. Nicole claimed a silver at the Tokyo Games in the S5 50m Butterfly

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On behalf of Offaly Sports Partnership, we wish our county's Olympians and Paralympian the very best of luck in Paris.