Offaly's Olympics-bound boxer Gráinne Walsh was presented with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the pupils and staff of St Philomena's NS, Tullamore, yesterday. Gráinne is pictured with principal Geraldine Gaffey and sixth class pupil Demi Lee McDonagh.

Joyous reception for Olympian Gráinne Walsh during visit to Tullamore school

Adrian Cusack

Published: Fri 7 Jun 2024, 1:17 PM

Offaly's newly-qualified Olympian, Gráinne Walsh, received a hugely enthusiastic welcome from the pupils of St Philomena's NS when she visited the Tullamore school this week.

Gráinne returned home from Thailand on Tuesday morning, after booking her ticket to the Olympics in Paris by defeating Armenia's Ani Hovsepyan in their decisive qualification bout two days earlier.

The pupils of St Philomena's NS, and their principal Geraldine Gaffey, have been extremely supportive of the local boxer and a 'fan zone' was set up in the school to show live coverage of her qualification bouts in Thailand.

During her visit yesterday (Thursday), Gráinne was shown a selection of excellent portraits of her that were created by some of the 180 pupils who attend the all-girls' school on Convent Road.

Gráinne pictured alongside portraits of her that were created by pupils of St Philomena's NS and displayed on doors and windows of the school.

This video shows the pupils cheering on Gráinne upon her arrival at the school:

This week is a well-deserved break for the Tullamore boxer, after she won four fights in the space of nine days at the qualification tournament in Bangkok.

In the weeks ahead, she and the nine other Irish boxers who have qualified for the Olympics will be travelling to Italy for a training camp ahead of the Games.

The opening bouts at the Olympics in Gráinne's 66kg weight category get underway on Sunday, July 28.