Ireland's greatest sporting moments and events

Padraig Harrington, for much of his career, threatened to be Mr. Second Place. He was well into the high twenties and people were beginning to wonder if he had a psychological block when it came to winning. Sure, he’d won some big tournaments, but had never won a major and had that unfortunate habit of choking at the last minute. And then the British Open in 2007. The old Scottish links course suited him, but even still, it’s easy to forget that he almost blew it. A solid first three rounds left him within touching distance of victory and in the fourth round it came down to him and Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia and, on the final hole, Harrington had a one-shot lead. He hammered his tee-off for distance rather than safety and watched in horror as it bounced inexorably towards the Burn, the small river that has put paid to the hopes of so many golfers. For a second, it looked as if the ball would bounce over the bridge and to the other side. Instead it plopped into the water. Incredibly, his second shot went in too – this time straight in. Fortunately, Garcia was having a nervy time and the pair ended level. In the play-off, Harrington regained his composure and went on to win. But it could so easily have been another second place for Paddy Harrington. A year later he retained it, this time without the drama.

6)  Ireland v England in Croke Park, February 2007

Croke Park, that great pantheon of pure, Gaelic, Irish games. The site of the Bloody Sunday massacre, when British troops shot 14 civilians dead. The arena where so many Irish sporting heroes excelled at Ireland’s indigenous games. The receptacle of the Irish soul. And to have ‘God Save The Queen’ played there and sung by tens of thousands of English rugby fans? Heresy, surely.  But in February 2007, that’s precisely what was about to happen. Ireland’s maturity was to be tested. Would the English national anthem be booed? Would riots break out? Would Irish people disgrace themselves? Not at all. The anthems were greeted with respectful silence. And then, to everyone’s relief, the Irish rugby team hammered England 43-14.

7) The Irish Derby

If the story of Irish sport is one of glorious failure and almost-rans, then horse racing is the exception. As the great commentator Ted Walsh has pointed out, Ireland is the Brazil of horse racing. Dermot Weld, John Oxx, Vincent O’Brien, and Aidan O’Brien are among the biggest trainers. Kieren Fallon, Mick Kinane, Johnny Murtagh, Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy are some of the best jockeys. And Ireland breeds some of the most famous horses: Red Rum, Arkle, Shergar, Istabraq … Coolmore and Ballydoyle are virtual production lines for famous horses. The Irish Derby, run over one mile and four furlongs of prime County Kildare sod on the famous Curragh Plains is one of the biggest races in the world.

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