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
The language used to describe Ireland's Paralympic athletes in newspapers at the time was persistently one of pity and fundamental difference to others. There was a strong focus on describing Horan and her teammates through a narrative of heroic and inspirational stories, simply because they live with disability. The Irish Examiner stated how "these gallant disabled people brought honour and renown to their country". The Evening Herald said that "the sports in which they excel are their passports back to life and how "the Paralympics never fail to provide a moving spectacle of the indomitable human spirit triumphing over near-total infirmity".
Implying that these people are courageous or extraordinary for participating in sport is patronising and sets unreasonable expectations. The language used by newspapers to describe the first Paralympic Games was also problematic. The Irish Press outlined how "These contests are the Olympic Games of the invalid world", while the Irish Independent described them as contests "for crippled athletes".
So how have the media changed their ways of reporting on the Paralympics and athletes like Joan Horan? Firstly, the International Paralympic Committee has published a detailed reference guide to the terminologies associated with the Paralympic Movement. This covers a wide range of topics such as correct usage of terms, event naming, acronyms and more and allows for no excuses for misuse of terminology or patronising tones such as those used to describe Irish athletes at the first Paralympic Games.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, Eamon Horan previews the Paris Paralympics
There has also been an increase in coverage of the Paralympic Games and importantly, more former Paralympians are employed as pundits and reporters. There is also now a focus on telling broader stories about the athletic achievements of Paralympians and not just how they are coping with their disability. That said, coverage still suffers from some of the same issues seen in mainstream sports coverage, such as less attention for women and racialised athletes.
Horan was honoured at the Caltex Sports Stars Awards in 1961. This was an annual ceremony to recognise outstanding personalities in Irish Sport. Award winners that year included Down's Jim McCartan in Gaelic Football, Christy O'Connor in golf, John Caldwell in boxing and Mick Mackey, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his hurling prowess. All of the award winners were celebrated with a large caricature of each of them displayed on stage and were presented with trophies by An Taoiseach Seán Lemass.
So what did Horan receive to mark her success as double gold medallist? A trophy or a piece of Waterford Crystal perhaps? It was a bouquet of flowers. Ireland’s first Paralympic medallist was presented with a token, perishable gesture, while her male, able-bodied counterparts were given permanent souvenirs to mark their achievements.
The fact that Horan's position in Irish sport history as the first Paralympic medallist remains subdued shows how there are still gaps to be filled in how Paralympians are recognised and celebrated by the Irish sporting community. There is no statue to memorialise her, no trophies or tournaments named in her honour.
Perhaps now is the perfect time to celebrate Horan's achievements and athletic abilities more widely? Such a celebration is crucial for the recognition of sports for athletes with a disability in Ireland. A memorial plaque, a commissioned artwork, the renaming of a public space or a sporting event in her honour would demonstrate how Horan and Irish Paralympians more widely have positively affected how the Irish sporting community thinks, feels and behaves towards disabled people.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
