| Npc: | IRL |
| Npcname: | Paralympics Ireland |
| Games: | Paralympics |
| Rank: | 29 |
| Gold: | 71 |
| Silver: | 71 |
| Bronze: | 98 |
| Appearances: | 17 |
A team representing Ireland has competed at every Summer Paralympic Games. The country has never taken part in the Winter Paralympics. Irish athletes have won 238 Summer Paralympic medals. [1] Paralympics Ireland (formerly the Paralympic Council of Ireland) is the National Paralympic Committee.
Northern Ireland-born athletes are entitled to represent either Ireland or Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as they are automatically entitled to the citizenship of both countries. As a result, athletes will tend to represent the National Olympic Committee of the nation to which their sport federation is aligned. The smaller competition pool will also see athletes choose to represent Ireland to ensure greater Olympic qualification chances, although athletes may also move in the opposite direction to increase medal chances, especially in team events. A number of athletes have represented both nations. This is on the same basis as at the Olympics.
At the first Paralympic Games in 1960 in Rome Ireland were one of 23 nations to enter athletes. The team finished 12th in the medals table which to this day remains the highest Ireland has ranked on the medal table. Both of Ireland's gold medals were won by Joan Horan. Horan won her medals in two different sports, one in the women's St. Nicholas Round open archery and one in the women's 25 m Crawl complete class 2 swimming event.[2] [3] [4] At the next games, hosted by Tokyo in 1964, two Irish athletes competed. This remains Ireland's only Summer Paralympics where no medals were earned.
The most medals won by Ireland at a Paralympic Games is 66. This was achieved at the 1984 Games hosted in New York and Stoke Mandeville. 20 of these medals were gold, 15 silver and 31 bronze. These are the most medals ever won at the games, making this the most successful Paralympic Games for Ireland. This was achieved with only 53 athletes on the Paralympic team that year.
The 1996 Summer Paralympics saw the biggest Paralympic team ever head to Atlanta. With 63 athletes competing in these games, Ireland was hoping for their biggest games yet. Disappointingly for the Irish, 10 medals were won at these games.
At the 2008 Summer Paralympics, held in Beijing, Ireland won five medals in total, three of them gold. There was controversy over the participation of Derek Malone in the 7-a-side cerebral palsy football tournament. Malone, who had competed in the 800 m event at the Athens Paralympics was ruled as ineligible to compete by Games classification authorities on the grounds that his disability was not severe enough.[5] [6]
Athletics is Ireland's highest achieving sport with more than 5x more medals won in Athletics than any other sport. Ireland have also been very successful in swimming with 31 medals won in the sport.
See also: All-time Paralympic Games medal table.
| Games | Athletes | width:3em; font-weight:bold;" | width:3em; font-weight:bold;" | width:3em; font-weight:bold;" | Total | Rank | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | |||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||||
| 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 19 | |||||
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 21 | |||||
| 4 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 21 | |||||
| 4 | 2 | 11 | 17 | 25 | |||||
| 20 | 15 | 31 | 66 | 14 | |||||
| 13 | 11 | 18 | 42 | 19 | |||||
| 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 47 | |||||
| 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 45 | |||||
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 31 | |||||
| 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 61 | |||||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 36 | |||||
| 8 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 19 | |||||
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 28 | |||||
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 32 | |||||
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 55 | |||||
| future events | |||||||||
| Total | 71 | 71 | 97 | 239 | 29 | ||||
The following table contains all medals won by athletes representing Ireland in the Paralympics. All medals have been won at the Summer Games. Ireland have never had a Paralympic team compete in the Winter Games.
The table is organised in chronological order, then by medal type (Gold, silver and bronze) and then by sport.
| Medal | Name | Games | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's St. Nicholas round open | ||||
| Women's 25m crawl complete class 2 | ||||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's St. Nicholas round cervical | |||
| Jimmy Gibson | Men's open | |||
| Frances O'Sullivan White | Women's 25m backstroke class 1 | |||
| Women's A1 singles | ||||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's Slalom cervical class | |||
| Women's 25m backstroke class 1 | ||||
| Women's A2 singles | ||||
| Rosaleen Gallagher Frances O'Sullivan White | Table Tennis | Women's A2 doubles | ||
| Jimmy Gibson | Men's C singles | |||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's 60m wheelchair 1B | |||
| Jimmy Gibson Eddie Lucas | Men's pairs | |||
| Kathleen Fagan | Women's 60m m2 | |||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's javelin 1B | |||
| Jimmy Gibson | Men's tournament paraplegic | |||
| Ireland Team | Women's Teams 2 | |||
| Kathleen Fagan | Women's discus throw 2 | |||
| Frances O'Sullivan White | Women's 25m backstroke 1B | |||
| Michael Cunningham | Men's javelin 4 | |||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's pentathlon 1B | |||
| Julia Cosgrove Frances O'Sullivan White | Women's doubles 1B | |||
| Julia Cosgrove | Women's singles 1A | |||
| Patrick McCool | Men's club throw | |||
| Patrick McCool | Men's discus throw | |||
| Clause Stephens | Men's discus throw 2 | |||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's 60m 1B | |||
| Kathleen Fagan | Women's 60m 2 | |||
| Kathleen Fagan | Women's discus throw 2 | |||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's shot put 1B | |||
| Christine Doprill | Women's shot put 2 | |||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's Slalom 1B | |||
| Frances O'Sullivan White | Women's singles 1B | |||
| Clause Stephens | Men's shot put 2 | |||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's club throw 1B | |||
| Rosaleen Gallagher | Women's discus throw 1B | |||
| Christine Doprill | Women's discus throw 2 | |||
| Christine Doprill | Women's javelin 2 | |||
| Kathleen Fagan | Women's slalom 2 |
| Medal | Name | Games | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 Stoke Mandeville / New York | Athletics | Long jump A3 | ||
| David McNally | Athletics | Long jump C8 | ||
| Brendan Crean | Athletics | Club throw C3 | ||
| Ronan Tynan | Athletics | Discus throw A3 | ||
| Athletics | Distance throw C1 | |||
| Ronan Tynan | Athletics | Shot put A3 | ||
| Athletics | Shot put C2 | |||
| Dermot Walsh | Athletics | Slalom C2 | ||
| Carol Carr | Athletics | 400m B2 | ||
| Morna Cloonan | Athletics | 1000m Cross country C6 | ||
| Cathy Dunne | Athletics | Discus throw 3 | ||
| Rosaleen Galagher | Athletics | Shot put B1 | ||
| Morna Cloonan | Athletics | Shot put C6 | ||
| Gerard Dunne | 100m backstroke 6 | |||
| Gerard Dunne | Swimming | 100m butterfly 6 | ||
| Morna Cloonan | Swimming | 25m backstroke C6 | ||
| Jimmy Gibson | Snooker | Men's paraplegic | ||
| Bill Ensor Paul Smyth | Men's pairs A2/4 | |||
| Paul Smyth | Lawn Bowls | Men's singles A2/4 | ||
| Alice Bailey Angela Hendra | Lawn Bowls | Women's pairs paraplegic | ||
| Athletics | 400m A1–A3 | |||
| Ronan Tynan | Athletics | High jump A3 | ||
| William Johnston | Athletics | Precision throw C1 | ||
| John Creedon | Athletics | Club throw L1 | ||
| Tom Leahy | Athletics | Club throw C2 | ||
| Theresa Ward | Athletics | 200m C7 | ||
| Carol Carr | Athletics | 1500m B2 | ||
| Athletics | Marathon 4 | |||
| Rosaleen Galagher | Athletics | Javelin B1 | ||
| Theresa Ward | Athletics | Javelin C7 | ||
| Morna Cloonan | Athletics | Club throw C6 | ||
| Gerard Dunne | Swimming | 400m freestyle 6 | ||
| Monica O'Kelly | Swimming | 25m freestyle with aids C2 | ||
| Ireland men | 7-a-side CP | |||
| Ireland women | Table tennis | Teams 2 | ||
| Gerry O'Rourke | Athletics | 100m A1–A3 | ||
| Gerry O'Rourke | Athletics | 800m A1–A3 | ||
| Patrick Kelly | Athletics | 800m B1 | ||
| Fintan O'Donnell | Athletics | 800m B3 | ||
| Patrick Kelly | Athletics | 1500m B1 | ||
| Ronan Rooney | Athletics | Marathon 1B | ||
| Ireland men | Athletics | 4x100m relay C7–C8 | ||
| Joe Mulhall | Athletics | Club throw C3 | ||
| Joe Mulhall | Athletics | Javelin C3 | ||
| Martin Costello | Athletics | Javelin C4 | ||
| Athletics | Discus throw 2 | |||
| Joe Mulhall | Athletics | Shot put C3 | ||
| Francis Genockey | Athletics | Shot put L2 | ||
| David Boland | Athletics | Medicine ball thrust C2 | ||
| Theresa Ward | Athletics | 100m C7 | ||
| Rosaleen Galagher | Athletics | Slalom B1 | ||
| Alison Barnes | Athletics | Slalom C1 | ||
| Monica O'Kelly | Athletics | Slalom (leg) C2 | ||
| Jennifer Kiely | Athletics | Slalom C3 | ||
| Rosaleen Galagher | Athletics | Discus B1 | ||
| Monica O'Kelly | Athletics | Club throw C2 | ||
| Christina Dodrill | Athletics | Shot put 2 | ||
| Monica O'Kelly | Athletics | Shot put C2 | ||
| Jennifer Kiely | Athletics | Shot put C3 | ||
| Gerard Dunne | Swimming | 100m freestyle 6 | ||
| Brendan Crean | Swimming | 25m backstroke C3 | ||
| O. Rourke | Table tennis | Singles L2 | ||
| Morna Cloonan | Table tennis | Singles C4–C5 | ||
| Angela Hendra | Lawn Bowls | Women's singles paraplegic | ||
| Alice Bailey Angela Hendra | Lawn Bowls | Mixed pairs paraplegic | ||
| David Boland Martin Costello Lorraine Gallagher Darrin Jordan | 1988 Seoul[7] | Athletics | Mixed 4 x 100m C2-3 | |
| Paul Cassin | Athletics | Men's Discus Throw C3 | ||
| Martin Costello | Athletics | Men's Shot Put C3 | ||
| Darrin Jordan | Athletics | Men's Slalom C2 | ||
| Michael McCormack | Athletics | Men's Kick Ball C2 | ||
| Alma Rock | Athletics | Women's 100m C8 | ||
| John Twomey | Athletics | Men's Discus Throw 2 | ||
| Ronan Tynan | Athletics | Men's Discus Throw A3A9 | ||
| Theresa Ward | Athletics | Women's 100m C7 | ||
| Thomas Leahy | Boccia | Mixed Individual C2 | ||
| Teresa Mullen | Lawn Bowls | Women's Singles 2-6 | ||
| Gerard Dunne | Swimming | Men's 100m Backstroke 6 | ||
| Gerard Dunne | Swimming | Men's 100m Butterfly 6 | ||
| Christina Dodrill | Athletics | Women's Shot Put 2 | ||
| Cathy Dunne Fitzpatrick | Athletics | Women's Discus Throw 3 | ||
| Lorraine Gallagher | Athletics | Women's Club Throw C3 | ||
| Lorraine Gallagher | Athletics | Women's Discus Throw C3 | ||
| Darrin Jordan | Athletics | Men's 200m C2 | ||
| Thomas Leahy | Athletics | Men's Shot Put C2 | ||
| John McGuinness | Athletics | Men's 1500m C8 | ||
| Ronan Tynan | Athletics | Men's Shot Put A3A9 | ||
| Theresa Ward | Athletics | Women's Javelin C7 | ||
| William Behan Francis Bell | Lawn Bowls | Men's Pairs 2-6 | ||
| Michael White | Snooker | Men's Tournament Open | ||
| David Boland | Athletics | Men's Kick Ball C2 | ||
| Christina Dodrill | Athletics | Women's Discus Throw 2 | ||
| Cathy Dunne Fitzpatrick | Athletics | Women's Pentathlon | ||
| Darrin Jordan | Athletics | Men's 100m C2 | ||
| Darrin Jordan | Athletics | Men's 400m C2 | ||
| Thomas Leahy | Athletics | Men's Club Throw C2 | ||
| John McGuinness | Athletics | Men's Cross Country 5000m C8 | ||
| Camilla McMahon | Athletics | Women's 100m C8 | ||
| Kay McShane | Athletics | Women's 800m 4 | ||
| Kay McShane | Athletics | Women's Marathon 4 | ||
| Gerard Naughton | Athletics | Men's Shot Put C4 | ||
| Ronan Tynan | Athletics | Men's Javelin A3A9 | ||
| Team Ireland | Football | Men's Tournament | ||
| Gerard Dunne | Swimming | Men's 100m Freestyle 6 | ||
| Gerard Dunne | Swimming | Men's 400m Freestyle 6 | ||
| Gerard Dunne | Swimming | Men's 200m Individual Medley 6 | ||
| Sean McGrath | Swimming | Men's 100m Breaststroke A4 | ||
| Team Ireland | TableTennis | Men's Teams C5-C8 | ||
| Bridie Lynch | 1992 Barcelona | Athletics | Women's Discus Throw B3 | |
| Bridie Lynch | Athletics | Women's Pentathlon B3 | ||
| Mairead Berry | Swimming | Women's 50m Backstroke S2 | ||
| Alma Rock | Athletics | Women's 400m C7-8 | ||
| William Johnston Jason Kearney Thomas Leahy Martin McDonagh | Boccia | Mixed C1-C3 | ||
| Team Ireland | Football | Men's Tournament | ||
| Siobhan Callanan Esther Stynes | TableTennis | Women's Teams 3 | ||
| 1996 Atlanta | Women's discus F12 | |||
| Men's individual C2 | ||||
| Men's 100m backstroke S9 | ||||
| Women's 50m backstroke S2 | ||||
| Men's discus F54 | ||||
| Women's 200m T32-33 | ||||
| Women's shot put F12 | ||||
| Women's shot put F32-33 | ||||
| Women's shot put F41 | ||||
| Women's kur canter grade III | ||||
| 2000 Sydney | Men's discus F51 | |||
| Mixed individual BC1 | ||||
| Mixed pairs BC3 | ||||
| Men's 100m backstroke S8 | ||||
| Women's 100m freestyle S2 | ||||
| Women's 400m T34 | ||||
| Women's 50m backstroke S2 | ||||
| Women's 50m freestyle S2 | ||||
| Women's pentathlon P13 |
| Medal | Name | Games | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 400m T13 | ||||
| Men's discus throw F32/51 | ||||
| Men's 100m backstroke S8 | ||||
| Men's 800m T38 | ||||
| 2008 Beijing | Men's 800 m T37 | |||
| Men's 100 m T13 | ||||
| Men's 200 m T13 | ||||
| Men's 400 m Freestyle S6 | ||||
| Mixed Individual BC1 | ||||
| 2012 London | ||||
Pilot: | ||||
| on Mister Cool | ||||
| on Mister Cool | ||||
Pilot: | ||||
Pilot: | ||||
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Athletics | |||
| Athletics | ||||
| Katie-George Dunlevy Pilot: Eve McCrystal | Women's road time trial B | |||
| Cycling | ||||
| Athletics | ||||
| Katie-George Dunlevy Pilot: Eve McCrystal | ||||
| Cycling | ||||
| Swimming | ||||
Pilot: Eve McCrystal | ||||
Pilot: Eve McCrystal | ||||
Pilot: Eve McCrystal | ||||
| Katie-George Dunlevy Pilot: Linda Kelly | Women's Road Race B Time Trial | |||
| Katie-George Dunlevy Pilot: Eve McCrystal | Women's B 3000m Individual Pursuit | |||
| Katie-George Dunlevy Pilot: Linda Kelly | Women's B Road Race | |||
| Women's 100m backstroke S13 | ||||
| Women's 200m Individual Medley SM13 | ||||
| Women's 100m T13 |