'It’s the stuff of dreams' - Ballyshannon reaction to Mona McSharry's bronze

“My goodness. It is the stuff of dreams altogether. We are small fish in a big pool but it is unbelievable what we have seen tonight, the stuff of dreams altogether,” was the immediate reaction of Marlins Swim Club’s Kieran Summerville, as he watched their star pupil,  Mona McSharry take Olympic bronze in Paris.

The Ballyshannon club came together, young and old, in the Aodh Ruadh Social Centre to watch the final of the 100m Breaststroke on the big screen.

The excitement levels were growing from 8pm and the noise levels were able to match those in the Racing 92 Stadium in Paris as Mona appeared on the screen at around 8:35.

After qualifying as the second fastest, expectations that the Grange native would be in the mix for the medals was pretty high.

“What an absolute achievement for herself; what amount of work has gone into it, hardship and hard times. Today is a day to celebrate, for Mona, her family, Marlins Swimming Club and I must say we are really enjoying ourselves up here in Aodh Ruadh.”

And while she lives in Grange, Ballyshannon has played a big part in her swimming education as well as academically as well as she is a past pupil of Coláiste Cholmcille in the town.

“Absolutely and she has a lot of friends in Ballyshannon as well and a lot of friends that have gone out with her to Paris and given her great support. She comes back as often as she can to help out with the swimming club and she will train away and offer advice in her own humble way of doing things.

“Fantastic girl, fantastic ambassador for swimming, for Swim Ireland, the Marlins Swimming Club and even the college in Tennessee. 

“We have all cheered and we’ve had music all evening. We’ve had tea and stuff. We are really enjoying it. We can’t believe what we are after seeing, to be honest. To get there is unbelievable, to get to the final is fantastic by my God, to get a medal is some achievement.

“It’s very hard to describe at this moment in time but we are all very delighted for her.”

After the great achievement of reaching the 100m Breaststroke final in Tokyo in 2021, there was a fantastic homecoming for Mona in Ballyshannon and Kieran is hopeful that there will be an even bigger event now to show off her medal.

“We all want to see the medal. And I think we asked her at the time would she come back the next time when she had a medal, and I think she said she would. We’ll see what we can work out in the meantime. I know she has certain plans and commitments to work out but hopefully we will see her in the town shortly,” he said.