Beijing bound: proud village rows in behind its Olympian
THE Olympics have started early in Pallaskenry.
Last Thursday, as the community gathered to cheer on their very own, home-grown Oympian, rower Sean O'Neill the only thing missing was the soundtrack from the film, Chariots of Fire.
All the other essential ingredients were there – a young Olympian willing and determined to do his best, a community proud of the young man who had grown up among them but who had astonishingly reached the exalted ranks of Olympian athletes, and a huge sense of excitement about the coming spectacle.
The controversies that dog each Olympic Games were forgotten as the reality hit home – Pallaskenry was sending its own to Beijing.
Sean mingled with the crowd gathered in the community centre to wish him well on his journey.
He shook hands, he accepted cards, he asked after childhood friends, he signed autographs for youngsters astounded at being so close to an Olympian.
"This is an unique occasion," community council chairman Michael O'Sullivan said. "It's a very special occasion and I wouldn't be going too far wrong if I said we are unlikely to see this repeated in our lifetime, in my lifetime at least."
But, he added to loud cheers: "We might be here again in a few weeks' time with the medal around Sean's neck."
"It is great to know you are all supporting me," the quiet-spoken Sean said. "I won't forget it. Maybe I will pull a bit harder, and, you never know, on the day anything can happen. We might pull out a great result."
Earlier, Sean told the Limerick Leader he was really surprised when told about the community reception in his honour.
"I wasn't expecting anything. I was just coming home for a few days to relax. But I am thrilled. Everybody has been so supportive. It is great to have that.
"I am excited about it now," continued Sean, who headed off for the Olympic Village on Sunday to link up with the other members of the heavyweight rowing four team.
"It is a great honour to go and do this. I can't wait to get over there and see what it's like," he added.
He will, however, miss the opening ceremony on Friday, August 8, as their first race is on Saturday.
"I am really, really looking forward to getting into it. It has been a long process and now we just want to get into it and get racing," he said.
Rugby, however, was Sean's number one sport for many years.
In fact, it was while he was in New Zealand some eight years ago that he got his first taste of rowing, Sean's father, Tom, revealed.
"He never rowed in Limerick," he said. "He was playing with Thomond right up to U16 level and left at 17. He went to Wellington, New Zealand, on a rugby scholarship.
In the off-season he started rowing and fell in love with it."
But, added Tom: "I always had a feeling he was going to achieve something in sport, no matter what he did, he was so dedicated".
Tom is, however, impressed with the sports set-up in New Zealand, a set-up, which, he says, is professional and where they look after their young talent and nurture them.
"We knew his potential, but he didn't know it himself" he said before he added with a big grin: "It's great. I never thought I would be going to the Olympics."
Tom and his wife Theresa will travel to Beijing to watch their son perform for his country. Sean's sisters, Laura and Jennifer, will be cheering him on at home, along with every man, woman and child in Pallaskenry.
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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