Ireland at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Ireland competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 59 competitors, 51 men and 8 women, took part in 54 events in 12 sports.^[1] No Irish athletes received an Olympic medal in their sport.

Ireland at the 1972 Summer Olympics
IOC code	IRL
NOC	Olympic Federation of Ireland
Website	olympics.ie
in Munich
Competitors	59 in 12 sports
Flag bearer	Ronnie McMahon
Medals	Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Other related appearances
Great Britain (1896–1920)

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Men's 400 metres

• Fanaghan McSweeney

• Heat — 47.1 (→ did not advance)

Men's 800 metres

• Frank Murphy

• Heat — 1:51.1
• Semifinals — 1:49.2 (→ did not advance)

Men's 1.500 metres

• Frank Murphy

• Heat — 3:43.3 (→ did not advance)

Men's 5.000 metres

• Michael Keogh

• Heat — 13:57.8 (→ did not advance)

• John Hartnett

• Heat — 14:34.6 (→ did not advance)

Men's 10.000 metres

• Neil Cusack

• Heat — 28:45.8 (→ did not advance)

Men's 3.000 metres Steeplechase

• Edward Leddy

• Heat — 8:47.4 (→ did not advance)

Men's Marathon

• Danny McDaid

• Final — 2:22:25 (→ 23rd place)

• Des McGann

• Final — 2:28:31 (→ 42nd place)

• Donie Walsh

• Final — 2:31:12 (→ 47th place)

Men's Shot Put

• Phil Conway

• Qualifying Round — 16.69 m (→ did not advance)

Women's 800 metres

• Claire Walsh

• Heat — 2:08.98 (→ did not advance)

• Mary Tracey

• Heat — 2:04.18 (→ did not advance)

Women's 1.500 metres

• Mary Tracey

• Heat — 4:16.43 (→ national record, did not advance)

Women's 100m Hurdles

• Margaret Murphy

• Heat — 15.89 m (→ did not advance)

Women's Pentathlon

• Margaret Murphy

• Final ranking — 3770 pts (→ 27th place)

Boxing

Main article: Boxing at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Men's Welterweight 67 kg Joe Darcy unable to compete due to injury.

Men's Light Middleweight (– 71 kg)

• Christopher Elliott

• First Round — Bye
• Second Round — Defeated Farouk Kesrouan (LEB), 5:0

• Third Round — Lost to Emeterio Villanueva (MEX), TKO-3

Canoeing

Main article: Canoeing at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Cycling

Main article: Cycling at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Four cyclists represented Ireland in 1972.

Individual road race

• Liam Horner — 38th place
• Kieron McQuaid — 40th place
• Peter Doyle — 69th place
• Noel Taggart — did not finish (→ no ranking)

Team time trial

• Liam Horner
• Peter Doyle
• Kieron McQuaid
• Noel Taggart

Equestrian

Main article: Equestrian at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Fencing

Main article: Fencing at the 1972 Summer Olympics

One fencer represented Ireland in 1972.

Men's foil

• John Bouchier-Hayes

Men's épée

• John Bouchier-Hayes

Judo

Main article: Judo at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Rowing

Main article: Rowing at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Men's Single Sculls

• Seán Drea

• Heat — 7:47.64
• Repechage — 7:50.27
• Semi Finals — 8:27.70
• B-Final — 7:55.33 (→ 7th place)

Sailing

Main article: Sailing at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Ireland contested the Finn, Flying Dutchman, Tempest and Dragon class sailing events.^[2] The highest finishers were David Wilkins and Sean Whitaker, who ranked 8th in the Tempest event.^[3] The Dragon event, in which Ireland ranked 16th, was contested by a crew that included Robin Hennessy, Treen Morris, Harry Byrne and Joe McMenamin.^[4] MacMenamin, who was "six weeks shy of his 60th birthday" at the time, was Ireland's oldest Olympic athlete.^[5]

Shooting

Main article: Shooting at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Four male shooters represented Ireland in 1972.

Trap

• Dermot Kelly
• Gerry Brady

Skeet

• William Campbell
• Arthur McMahon

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Athlete	Event	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Andrew Hunter	Men's 100 m freestyle	56.09	37	Did not advance
Brian Clifford	Men's 1500 m freestyle	18:09.28		—		Did not advance
Liam Ball	Men's 100 m breaststroke	1:09.68		Did not advance
	Men's 200 m breaststroke	2:33.47		—		Did not advance
Aisling O'Leary	Women's 800 m freestyle	10:18.05		—		Did not advance
Christine Fulcher	Women's 100 m backstroke	1:10.63		Did not advance
	Women's 200 m backstroke	2:33.73		—		Did not advance
Ann O'Connor	Women's 100 m breaststroke	1:19.13		Did not advance
	Women's 200 m breaststroke	2:53.04	29	—		Did not advance
Brenda McGrory	Women's 100 m butterfly	1:08.52		Did not advance
Ann O'Connor Christine Fulcher Brenda McGrory Aisling O'Leary	Women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay	4:26.34		—		Did not advance
Christine Fulcher Ann O'Connor Brenda McGrory Aisling O'Leary	Women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay	4:45.56		—		Did not advance

Weightlifting

Main articles: Weightlifting at the 1972 Summer Olympics and Frank Rothwell (weightlifter)