A guide to sports events not to be missed in 2024

Paris Olympics

July 26th-August 11th

The greatest show on Earth. And next summer’s Olympic Games take place just a hop, a skip and a long jump away from these shores.

The official website for the Paris Games says it “will be the biggest event ever organised in France”.

The organising committee expect a total of 10,500 athletes to take part across 329 events at 41 venues. There will be 31,500 volunteers in place to try ensure the Games run smoothly and 20,000 accredited journalists covering the action.

While Paris is the official host city, events will be taking place in various cities across France including Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyons, Nice and Marseilles. And, surfers will be taking a trip to the other side of the world, with the surfing events taking place in Tahiti, French Polynesia.

Darragh Ó Sé: How each county is shaping up as race for Sam Maguire kicks off

---

Sexton’s leadership vacuum will be felt as Leinster can’t replicate the emotion of La Rochelle match

---

Séamus Power needs big week in Dallas to qualify for PGA Championship

---

Ross Byrne is a reassuring presence as Leinster seek to make Champions Cup final

---

Ireland will be hoping Paris 2024 proves to be a record-breaking Games. The country’s record haul from any Olympics was six medals in London 2012. There are genuine medal prospects for 2024 in the pool with Daniel Wiffen, on the water with the rowers and in the ring with Kellie Harrington among others. Gymnast Rhys McClenaghan will be hoping for a podium spot while on the track Rhasidat Adeleke looks the best placed of a talented crew that will also include the in-form Ciara Mageean, Brian Fay and Sarah Lavin. That’s before we even consider the golfers, show jumpers and rugby Sevens teams. Bring on Paris 2024.

[ Difficult to separate Ciara Mageean and Rhasidat Adeleke after their impressive seasons ]

Ireland will also be strongly represented at the Paralympic Games in France, running from August 28th to September 8th. The Games will see 549 events take place across 22 sports, with high hopes for medals – including with swimmers Róisín Ní Riain and Ellen Keane, high-jumper Jordan Lee and cyclists Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal.

And if that’s not enough athletics for you, the 2024 European Athletics Championships will take place in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico from June 7th-12th.

Euro 2024

June 14th-July 14th

Ah, what might have been, hundreds of Joxers off to Stuttgart again, camper vans and football, weissbier and currywurst. It could have been the best of times; Euro 88 – The Sequel.

Unfortunately, the malfunction of Stephen Kenny’s ambitious project ensured the Republic of Ireland would spend another major tournament on the couch instead of taking in the delights of Germany. Still, we might as well make the best out of that situation, get comfy, settle in and enjoy watching some of the best players on the planet in action.

Germany and Scotland open the Euros in Munich on Friday night, June 14th, kicking off a month-long feast of football. All the usual suspects will be lining up for glory – Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, England, Belgium and Portugal. By the time it all gets under way, Ireland will have a new international manager in place. And hope will spring eternal again.

Limerick’s drive for five

Munster SHC starts April 21st; All-Ireland SHC final July 21st

The Limerick hurlers are aiming to go where no hurling team has gone before – securing a fifth consecutive Liam MacCarthy Cup. Before 2023, Cork (1941-44) and Kilkenny (2006-09) were the only counties to have won four All-Ireland senior hurling titles on the bounce.

John Kiely’s men joined that list last July and entering 2024 they stand on the edge of history. The Dublin footballers smashed through the five in-a-row barrier in 2019 but for now it remains hurling’s last great elusive milestone. Kilkenny got within touching distance of it in 2010, only to be beaten by Tipperary in that year’s All-Ireland decider.

Limerick’s journey towards reaching that five in-a-row landmark will begin with a Munster hurling clash against Clare in Ennis on April 21st. Before all of that, of course, Limerick will be competing in the National Hurling League. But this is a list of events not to be missed in 2024 and the National Hurling League isn’t one of those.

T20 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies & United States

June 4th-30th

Yes, a major tournament Ireland have actually qualified for in 2024. Ireland’s T20 cricketers will be involved in the 20-team T20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and United States this summer. The competition will operate on a round-robin format with four groups of five teams, with the top two sides from each advancing to the Super Eights round. Venues are to include the Kensington Oval in Barbados, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad, Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and Eisenhower Park in New York.

Hopefully it is a tournament in which the likes of Josh Little and Harry Tector can shine on a world stage. Ireland’s cricketers have a habit of springing surprises at World Cups. Closer to home, cricket fans should finally have the opportunity to take in a Test match on Irish soil again when Zimbabwe play Ireland. It will be only the second Test match on the island after 2018′s historic meeting with Pakistan in Dublin.

Cheltenham Festival

March 12th-15th

The purr of the Cheltenham Festival roar draws the crowds back every year, not to mention the quality of the racing on show across four days at Prestbury Park. The 2024 event is branding day three as St Patrick’s Thursday, with the programme that afternoon to feature the Ryanair Chase and Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle. It all adds up to a nice starter in advance of the main course on Friday, Gold Cup Day.

Katie Taylor

Croke Park, anybody?

• Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
• Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
• Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here