Contributor Josh Davis is a 5-time Olympic medalist and the Manager Partner the Mutual of Omaha BREAKout Swim Clinics.
“If you’re lucky enough to be Irish…you’re lucky enough.”
We Irish are blessed to have ancestors of such hardy stock and a sense of humor. But we will be the first to tell you that there is no such thing as luck. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Good thing is that everybody is honorary Irish today, even those crazy Scotts like Mel Stewart and Ryan Lochte!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from these Swimmers of Irish descent:
Josh Davis
Natalie Coughlin
Frank Dyer
Conor Dwyer
Matt McLean
Shannon Vreeland
Claire Donahue
Tyler Clary
Jimmy Feigen
Madison Kennedy
Mary T Meagher
Tom Dolan
..and Katie Ledecky
Great Irish Coaches:
Peter Banks – Coached distance legend Brooke Bennett
Tim Welsh – Coached Notre Dame for 30 years
Here’s an Irish Blessing to send you to practice with:
“May the road rise to meet you and
may your pool always be above 80 degrees.
May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow,
and that you have a perfect streamline wherever you go.
May the blessings of St. Patrick to keep your goals on track,
and may you finish the 200 fly before the Blarney stone lands on your back.
May your technique be as pretty as shamrocks in a bed,
and may you finish the main set before Coach knows your dead.
May you have all the ribbons and trophies you can hold
and at the end of all your rainbows may you find medals of gold.
May you remember every swimmer is your friend,
and may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
May God bless you now and always with the gift of Irish cheer,
so you will have a happy heart and fast swimming…every day…all year.
Cool facts about St. Patrick
St. Patrick was kidnapped as a boy from Britain and held as a slave in Ireland. Years later he escaped and then went back to Ireland to share the good news of God’s unconditional love.
Cool facts about the Irish
If you want your Irish warrior blood flowing, read the first chapters of the book “How the Irish Saved Civilization” – The early Irishmen fought all their battles only in their loin cloth (the first speedo.
If you’re proud of your Irish Heritage let us know in the comments.
About Josh Davis
Josh Davis was the first American to go 1:46 in the 200m free at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He just recently broke his own Masters American Record in the 40-45 age group going :20.6 He has been leading the Mutual Of Omaha BREAKout! Swim Clinic Tour for 8 years to challenge the next generation of swimmers to work harder, swim smarter and have more fun. Josh is a proud 2 breather and he will race anybody, anytime, anyplace.
2000 Olympics
Silver 400m freestyle relay
Silver 800m freestyle relay
1996 Olympics
Gold 400m freestyle relay
Gold 800m freestyle relay
Gold 400m medley relay
Follow Josh Davis on Twitter here.
Fan the Mutual of Omaha BREAKOUT Swim Clinic on Facebook here.
You forget Megan Jendrick, a very distant cousin of mine… she was born Megan Quann, and her Quann came from the Irish surname O’Quann. We are very proud of her Irish heritage!
I think Swim Ireland would like them back….
Forgive me! I know I left out a lot of great Irish swimmers like the McGinnis Clan. I’ll buy you a Guinness and we can talk drylands! Tell Matt hi!
Haha yeah I’m kidding of course. Sounds good to me, man. Hook em
Josh Davis giving no love to the McGinnis family…..I see how it is. Not like Matt McGinnis is a Texas Alum or anything.
How about Tim Murphy and Shane Ryan Penn State
Slainte (IRISH Toast for health) GO LIONS
How about former star swimmer and now highly successful coach in Dorsey Tierney.
Thanks a lot for all informations!