Dr Brian O’Flaherty of UCC, in his remarks prefacing the granting of an honorary doctorate to the Skibbereen man on Wednesday night, described him as “always reassuring” and a meticulous planner. “He does everything for his athletes except washing their teeth. But he will hand them the toothbrush.” “He is modest and never looks for […]
Dr Brian O’Flaherty of UCC, in his remarks prefacing the granting of an honorary doctorate to the Skibbereen man on Wednesday night, described him as “always reassuring” and a meticulous planner. “He does everything for his athletes except washing their teeth. But he will hand them the toothbrush.”
“He is modest and never looks for credit,” he added. In business terms, O’Flaherty said, he undersells and overperforms.
“I never shout, no,” Casey confirmed, smiling. “But I want to emphasise it is all about the athletes. The athletes I have had are really good.
“Since 2015 [when he took up his role as Ireland lightweight coach], all the athletes have been really excellent. Every single one of them.”
Casey has guided Ireland rowers to more than 40 international medals. In 2016, under his guidance, Paul and Gary O’Donovan took silver at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, while Paul and Fintan McCarthy won gold in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Aoife Casey and Mags Cremen were also finalists in Paris.
Casey’s philosophy is simple: “It’s about empowering the athletes; giving them input into their own destiny.” He says crews under his guidance have been “so focused, so composed. And they relish their chance to race.”
When pushed as to the highlight of his career so far, he says: “Paris. Back-to-back Olympic gold medals. And the first medal in Rio.”
That silver for the O’Donovans was a breakthrough: the first Olympic medal for Irish rowing and all of Paul O’Donovan’s international medals – he has 12 gold and three silver – have been overseen by Casey.
Casey’s speech was full of praise for those who have helped him: from his wife Eleanor and their family to Skibbereen Rowing Club, Rowing Ireland and all the support staff. He also thanked Sport Ireland.
The great Norwegian coach Thor Nilsen said: “He was my mentor.” Professor John O’Halloran, the president of UCC, said that Dominic Casey was a “transformative figure in Irish rowing, demonstrating resilience, extraordinary ambition and integrity.”
Three of the four who were conferred with doctorates have homes in the same area of west Cork: David Puttnam is an honorary vice president of Skibbereen Rowing Club while Jeremy Irons has a house on the Ilen river.
The fourth recipient Adi Roche was honoured for her activism and humanitarian work.
Puttnam opened his speech with reference to Paul and Gary O’Donovan and their words in Rio de Janeiro. They said they were looking forward most of all to the welcome back in their home area.
Irons made an impassioned plea for action on what he said was raw sewage being “pumped into our beloved Roaringwater Bay.”
