Paris 2024: Ireland short of golden moments

The plotting for the Paris Games began back in 2019 when Sport Ireland and Paralympics Ireland put together their strategic plan.

Within that dossier was the stated goal for the Games, the suggestion being that Ireland should return home with between eight and ten medals.

Given the ups and downs along the Paralympic cycle and some close shaves over the last fortnight in the French capital, it was a prediction that proved to be in the ball park, yet ultimately fell short.

The haul of half a dozen medals means Ireland placed joint 55th in the overall standings, with Serbia also matching our total of one gold, three silver and two bronze.

"We knew we had eight to ten athletes that were in the hunt for a medal, even if that was a bronze medal," Paralympics Ireland CEO Stephen McNamara told RTÉ Sport.

"Some of them have been really close, they have been fingertips away from a medal.

"The reality is the margins are that tight. Yes, it's six medals, and we’ll own that but definitely we were in the hunt for others realistically."

Twelve top-four placings, six PBs and five national records are testament that some peaked well for Paris, yet building up squad depth is crucial for any future success.

Twenty-nine athletes, plus half a dozen pilots and guides travelled to France, while the likes of Ellen Keane, Eve McCrystal and Ronan Grimes have said they won’t be back for Los Angeles.

Team Ireland’s medal winners – Katie-George Dunlevy with pilots Eve McCrystal (track) and Linda Kelly (road), swimmer Róisín Ní Riain and sprinter Orla Comerford – have raised awareness around vision impairment and as far as McNamara is concerned, the lack of men on the podium is not an issue.

"It’s not rocket science," he says. "We’ve managed to promote women