Aoife O'Rourke won gold at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool less than three weeks ago and the memory of having her glove raised in the 75kg division is still fresh in her mind along with the celebrations in her hometown of Castlerea.
"When I first got my hand raised, I was overwhelmed with emotion and it's not until you come home that you realise how proud you've made everyone and the support that you have at home in my town in Castlerea," the world champion told RTÉ Sport.
For the small community in Roscommon this isn't the first time they have welcomed home a world boxing champion, with sister Lisa also claiming the title in 2022.
The older O'Rourke sister explained that the world crown isn't just for her and the town is behind her regardless of her results.
"They came out in full force to welcome us both home and it's great for me but it's also giving back to the community that are there behind us from day one as well, it's just really special.
"Win or lose they're there and they absolutely love it, like there just be such a buzz around the town.
"Then for them all to come down to our Castlerea Boxing Club where it all started for us and show their support was incredible and to just meet the faces that you haven't seen in a while and all the kids... Hopefully we've inspired some of them to chase their dreams as well."
The 28-year-old said younger sister Lisa winning world championship gold three years ago was the success she has been striving for.
"Lisa achieved that in 2022 and out of nowhere, she just excelled, she just went from strength to strength in the boxing world," she said.
"It was always something that I was striving to achieve as well and to get this chance in Liverpool, I just kind of tried to stay as present as I could, fight by fight.
"Lisa, she was unlucky, but once she was out of the competition she was supporting me, even in the competition she supports me.
"She's my right-hand woman, when one of us has left we were still in it together like and she's driving me on, pushing me on and telling me to keep fighting to the end."
Three-time European Champion, World Boxing Champion and also a Hyrox title to her name. Is there anything Aoife O'Rourke cannot do?https://t.co/PD08NG0ZOA pic.twitter.com/joW12fQBWI
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 2, 2025
The O'Rourkes are not only world champions in boxing, they have also tried their hands at the new sporting format Hyrox, that combines running and functional movement.
In June this year, some three months before boxing for gold in Liverpool, the duo won the Hyrox Pro women's doubles titles, and O'Rourke joked it was a nice change from being in the ring.
"Only for her (Lisa) dragging me around the race course, I don't know would we have won it... It was a great experience, we had no pressure, we didn't really have much expectations of ourselves.
"It was just to enjoy it and go out there and we had a family holiday out of it, and it was a lovely trip and lovely to do something that isn't involved with getting hit in the head as well, that was an added bonus.
"To go out and have done so well, it was incredible, especially because we're new to the sport as well."
