‘Dreams do come true’: Kelly McGrory welcomed home to Tir Chonaill AC

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World Championship finalist Kelly McGrory was welcomed home by Tir Chonaill AC on Tuesday evening.

The Laghey woman ran the third leg for the Ireland 4x400m women’s relay team that finished eighth at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Having defied the odds to reach the final, the Irish quartet of Sophie Becker, Roisin Harrison, McGrory and Sharlene Mawdsley clocked 3:27.08 to finish eighth having been just 0.12 of a second outside the Irish record when going 3:26.18 in their semi-final.

McGrory is based now in Limerick, where she works with the Irish Wheelchair Association, but still runs for Tir Chonaill AC.

“Don’t put a ceiling on yourselves,” McGrory told the young Tir Chonaill AC athletes. “There’s no reason some of you won’t be here in a few years time talking about how you’re an international athlete.

“Don’t take your club and your coaches’ expertise for granted. You might think the big cities would be better, but what we have here is top class.”

Among those present were McGrory’s former coach Eamonn Harvey and athletes including Tir Chonaill AC’s rising hurdles ace Fintan Dewhirst, the European U18 400m hurdles silver medallist in 2022.

Laghey was brought to a standstill in those moments McGrory lined up at the National Athletics Centre.

‘I don’t think there was a dinner made the night of the final,” Tir Chonaill AC Chairperson David Doherty said. “What Kelly didn’t see was the buzz that people got from her just being there.

“It was just the most exciting week to see one of our own on such a stage.

“Dreams do come true. They don’t come true without hard work and those good days wipe away all the wet nights.”

The support from home was not lost on McGrory. The 26-year-old said: “The amount of support was incredible. When we walked out in the stadium, it felt as if we may as well have been home. We got so, so much support.

”It’s great to have a club and a community behind you.”

Kelly McGrory with Tir Chonaill AC coaches and athletes. Photos: Joe Boland (North West Newspix)