Analysis: The first Irish woman to compete in Paralympics won gold in 1960 in archery and swimming, but remains largely unknown and uncelebrated
The Paralympic Games is the largest and most significant sporting event that takes place globally for athletes with a disability. Team Ireland has enjoyed much success at the Paralympics, including the two gold medals won at the first Paralympics in 1960 by Joan Horan. But the use of patronising language when reporting on Horan's success and a lack of widespread celebration of her athletic abilities has meant that Ireland has failed to truly recognise its first Paralympic medallist.
Although sports clubs for athletes with an impairment had been in existence since 1888, with sports clubs for the deaf in Berlin, it was not until after World War II that they became more widespread. The purpose of these sports clubs at that time was to assist the large number of war veterans and civilians who had been injured during wartime.
The 1948 Olympic Games in London marked a milestone for athletes who use wheelchairs when the International Wheelchair Games took place and paved the way for the Paralympic Games. The first Paralympics took place in Rome in 1960 and featured 400 athletes from 23 countries, including Ireland. A team of five athletes represented Ireland at the first Paralympics and competed in swimming, table tennis, club throwing, javelin and archery events.
Footage from the first Paralympics in Rome in 1960
Their participation was sponsored by the Rehabilitation Institute and fundraising, which included a Gaelic football match in Croke Park between St Vincent's and Clontibret O'Neills, also took place. Joan Horan from Merrion Square in Dublin won two gold medals in archery and the women’s freestyle swimming (class 2) Winning two gold medals in such diverse competitions is an incredible achievement and demonstrates the breadth of her athletic talent.
In 1947, Horan was diagnosed with a cyst on her spine, which hospitalised her for many years and caused paralysis from the waist down. She was confined to a bed for a lengthy period and was transferred to a wheelchair just three weeks before the 1960 Paralympics. She trained for the swimming event in Tara Street Baths, who opened their pool an hour earlier every morning to facilitate her sessions. On her return to Dublin airport after her victory in Rome, she described it as "one of the greatest thrills" of her life.
Horan was the only woman on the team and Ireland’s first gold medallist at the inaugural Paralympic Games. Such a sporting achievement would likely have led to intensive media coverage if it had concerned an athlete without a disability. But due to the lack of knowledge of Paralympic sport at the time, sports journalists were unable to interpret the event in a historic context or understand its significance. Her achievements were never covered in the sports sections and were confined to short articles in a small scattering of newspapers.
Diagnosed with a cyst on her spine, Joan Horan (b.#OTD 1912) endured 6 years lying rigidly on her stomach & was paralysed by 1953. In 1960 she was Ireland's first Paralympian at the inaugural Paralympic games, winning gold in swimming & archery. https://t.co/c5MJ1aJw6E #DIBLives pic.twitter.com/ZaBJSlOxRY
— Dictionary of Irish Biography (@DIB_RIA) February 26, 2024
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