DUBLIN FOOTBALLER BERNARD BROGAN will join Olympic medallists Ronnie Delany and John Treacy in carrying the Olympic torch when it comes to Dublin next month.
The Olympic Council of Ireland this afternoon confirmed 34 of the 41 torchbearers who will be involved in the historic relay on 6 June, a list that includes some of the country’s top sporting personalities, community activists — and Jedward.
Delany, now 77, won 1,500m gold at the Melbourne Games in 1956 and is widely seen as Ireland’s most famous Olympian while Treacy won silver in the 1984 marathon in Los Angeles.
Brogan, the GAA’s footballer of the year in 2010, is joined by eight-time All-Ireland hurling champion Henry Shefflin to represent the GAA, while former Leinster and Ireland rugby star Shane Horgan and soccer internationals Paul McGrath and Olivia O’Toole will also feature.
Ireland’s 2012 Chef de Mission Sonia O’Sullivan and boxing legends Michael Carruth, Wayne McCullough and Kenneth Egan are among the other Olympic medallists due to take part in the six-hour relay, which will include a ceremonial cross-border ceremony in Newry and a civic event in Howth.
Tony Sutherland, father of the late Darren Sutherland who won boxing bronze in Beijing four years ago, has been invited to represent his son. Sutherland died tragically in London in September 2009 at the age of 27.
The list of torchbearers also recognises individuals nominated for their social work, including Pieta House founder Joan Freeman, as well as a number of young community activists.
Olympic torchbearers
- Bernard Brogan – 2010 Footballer of the Year
- Brian Brunton - An Garda Siochana
- Eddie Byrne - Community boxing coach in Baldoyle
- Michael Carruth – Boxing gold medallist, Barcelona 1992
- Aine Ni Choisdealbha – Trinity College Dublin scholar
- John Collins – Representative of the travelling community
- Natalya Coyle – Bidding to become the first Irish woman to qualify in Modern Pentathlon
- Ronnie Delany – 1,500m gold medallist, Melbourne 1956
- Anne Ebbs - Three-time Irish Paralympian
- Kenneth Egan – Boxing silver medallist, Beijing 2008
- Aaron Fallon – Ballymun youth club leader
- Irial Finan – Executive vice-president of Coca-Cola
- Karl Flood – Simon Community volunteer
- Joan Freeman – Founder of Pieta House
- Mubarak Habib – Chairperson of Africa Week Athletics, 2011
- Shane Horgan – Former Leinster and Ireland rugby player
- Jedward - Ireland’s Eurovision representatives 2011, 2012
- Ger Keelan – Young Person of the Year, 2007
- Mark Kenneally – Marathon qualifier, London 2012
- Lee Kinsella – Volunteer with the WAY project
- Cillian Kirwan – Student, St Fintan’s High School in Sutton
- Lauren Lawless – Volunteer with Localise Community Service Project
- Robbie Lyons – Gold and silver medallist at the World Transplant Games
- Wayne McCullough – Boxing silver medallist, Barcelona 1992
- Paul McGrath – Former Republic of Ireland footballer
- Alva Nolan – Special Olympics volunteer and fundraiser
- Gary O’Brien – 400m silver medallist, 2011 Special Olympics
- Sonia O’Sullivan – 5000m silver medallist, Sydney 2000; Ireland’s Chef de Mission, London 2012
- Olivia O’Toole – Capped over 130 times by Ireland women’s international soccer team
- Mark Pollock – Blind and paralysed Irish adventure athlete
- Niamh Reid-Burke – Irish international diver and soccer player
- Henry Shefflin – 10-time All-Star hurler
- Tony Sutherland – Representing his late son Darren, boxing bronze medallist, Beijing 2008
- John Treacy – Marathon silver medallist, Los Angeles 1984
Trailblazing: route of Olympic torch relay in Dublin revealed
Henry Shefflin, Paul McGrath and Shane Horgan to carry Olympic flame
