Featured photo: Marian Harkin TD
Ballyshannon erupted with celebrations for Olympic bronze medal-winning swimmer Mona McSharry last night as she was welcomed back to the town of the club where it all started.
The Sligo native, still smiling from her homecoming to Grange the previous night, joined a parade full of music and dance through Ballyshannon yesterday evening.
Crowds lined the heritage town to honour Mona and her dedicated Club coach Grace Meade.
Mona’s success at her second Olympic Games was cheered on by her home club, the Ballyshannon Marlins, throughout the week in Paris, and having Mona with Grace bring an Olympic Games medal back was just “dreamland territory,” said Karen Summerville.
Speaking to Marty Morrissey on the stage, Mona spoke of the build-up to Paris and the sheer emotion of winning her bronze medal, which led to many tears of joy, she said.
“To have such a warm welcome is unbelievable,” Mona said of the Ballyshannon crowd.
Marty also gave his heartfelt thanks to Mona for her uplifting win, on behalf of the people of Ireland, saying: “In a world where there’s a lot of negativity, you started the positivity for our country for the best couple of weeks of our lives in Paris.”
There was never a more apt time for a rendition of ‘Simply The Best’.
Mona McSharry made history on 29th July 2024 at the Olympic Games in Paris when she dramatically claimed a Bronze medal in the Women’s 100 metres breaststroke final beating the USA’s Lily King and Italy’s Benedetta Pinato by just one-hundredth of a second.
It was Ireland’s first Olympic swimming medal since 1996 and the first of 7 medals for Team Ireland at the Paris Games.
