Jeremy Duncan first encountered the Olympic Games at Sydney 2000 when he was living in Australia as a child.
Almost 20 years on, and a trip around the world later, the former Kilkenny College student is two games away from qualifying to play at Tokyo 2020.
"I went to the Sydney Olympics when we lived over there," Duncan said ahead of this weekend's two-legged Olympic play-off against Canada in Vancouver.
"The hype around that, and obviously the Australians win a lot of gold medals and it's all over the newspapers, it's a lot of hype. You see that as a kid.
"I remember collecting gold coins, one for every medal that Australia got, and putting them up on my wall. It's that sort of thing that gives you the inspiration and the desire to do that one day.
"When you're five or six, maybe it's not realistic, but it's your dream. It's a bit scary that it's now a reality."
'When you're five or six maybe it's not realistic, but it's your dream. It's a bit scary that it's now a reality'
— Ireland Men's Hockey (@IreMenHockey) October 25, 2019
Ireland are two games of hockey away from qualifying for Tokyo 2020. Make sure you get behind the team tomorrow and Sunday - live on @RTEplayer! #GreenMachine pic.twitter.com/Wyj6y1r7Ee
Ireland's all-time leading goalscorer Shane O'Donoghue was part of the Irish team that competed in Rio in 2016 and is desperate to qualify for back-to-back Olympic Games.
"Once you've got a taste of it once, you want to taste it again, he admitted.
"For the guys who've been to Rio, you just want to be there again.
"There are few opportunities (to reach the Olympics) and there are few people in Ireland who can call themselves Olympians as well. To go to two Olympics would be even more special."
Ireland's women's team also play Canada with the same prize up for grabs.
Sean Dancer's side will have home advantage due to their place in the world's top 10, with Energia Park in Donnybrook the venue for next weekend’s two-legged play-off.
Follow Canada v Ireland via our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport, on the RTÉ Player and on the RTÉ News Now app from 10pm on Saturday and from 9pm on Sunday.
