DUBLIN: Olympic champion Kellie Harrington will travel through Dublin’s north inner city on an open-top bus when she returns from Tokyo today.
The 31-year-old, who won a gold medal in women’s boxing on Sunday, will return to Dublin Airport this afternoon on a flight from Doha with the remaining Irish Olympians.
She will undergo a round of media appearances at the airport before departing on her journey home.
It has been learned that Dublin City Council has approved the lighting of the Five Lamps landmark near her home in Portland Row in Dublin’s north inner city in her honour.
The bus will travel through several streets, including Portland Row. According to the Irish Times, the Dublin Council has decided with Kellie’s family that the open-top bus will start from Clonliffe House pub at 5 pm and go to Summerhill and her home in Portland Row.
However, the exact timings and route of her journey have yet to be revealed. Kellie will not get off the bus due to COVID-19 regulations. Only locals are encouraged to line the streets for the occasion.
Nial Ring, an independent councillor, expressed hope that people will follow public health guidelines and give her the welcome she deserves. “We are encouraging only local people to come along tomorrow,” he said.
“We’d love to share Kellie. We’ve no problem with sharing but unfortunately with the COVID restrictions and Kellie being a frontline worker herself, I think people will appreciate that maybe it’s not possible to share her at this stage”
Meanwhile, Cllr Christy Burke and Cllr Anthony Flynn have written to the Dublin City Council suggesting that Kellie’s achievements must be formally recognised by awarding her Freedom of the City of Dublin.
A decision to grant Freedom of the City, however, must be made by the Lord Mayor and councillors and must be confirmed in a council meeting. “There is no council meeting in August,” the council said.
Kindly click the link below to join WhatsApp group chat to get important news and breaking news from Irish Samachar