LAST UPDATE | 9 Aug 2021
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST Kellie Harrington will travel through her local community on an open-top bus upon her return from Tokyo on Tuesday.
The Dublin 1 resident on Sunday won Ireland’s second gold medal of this summer’s Games — the nation’s 11th ever Olympic gold since first entering as a free state in 1924 — and is expected to touch down with the rest of the Irish-boxing team, including bronze medallist Aidan Walsh, on Tuesday afternoon.
Harrington will later make her way towards home atop the double-decker, which is scheduled to bring her down Portland Row, the North Inner City street on which she grew up. Dublin City Council (DCC) has also greenlit the lighting of the five lamps landmark to acknowledge Harrington’s achievement.
Upon consultation with her family, DCC plans for the bus tour to start from Clonliffe House pub from 5pm, and then move onwards towards Summerhill. The bus will then make its way down her home street as well as Portland Place, then onto Killarney Street and Sean McDermott Street. It will then turn back towards Summerhill and drive on to North Strand.
Former Lord Mayor of Dublin and local Independent councillor Christy Burke said: “Kellie will not be departing the bus at any time as she is coming back from a quarantine country and people have to remember she is a frontline medical worker.
“Dublin City Council officials are asking people to please respect the residents of Portland Row/Portland Place. This means they do not want the area to be overcrowded.
“There is plenty of room for everyone to see Kellie so please use the areas provided above. Locals along with gardaí and council officials will be helping organise the route. The official times will be made available on dublincity.ie on Tuesday morning.”
Dublin’s Deputy Lord Mayor Joe Costello also confirmed that while there will be no civic reception for Harrington on Tuesday due to public-health restrictions, he anticipated that one will take place later in the year for all Irish athletes.
