Looking Back: Noel Lynch, archer

This time it's one of my own photographs, of Noel Lynch practising in a field in Kilcullen in the mid-1980s for international archery competitions, writes Brian Byrne.

Growing up in Logstown, Noel always had an interest in sport of different kinds, from football to tennis to snooker, and then came across archery while in Germany in 1980. Back home he joined the Kildare Archery Club in Newbridge.

He found he liked it a lot, and developed his skills with the help of Olympians Willie Swords and Hazel Green. In Kilcullen, he practised in his back garden and in O'Connell's Field off Logstown Lane. In 1983 he qualified for the US National Championships in Long Beach, California, where he achieved some personal bests and set a new Irish record for the 50 metres.

Noel qualified for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, an event which he later described as 'an amazing experience' though he was disappointed at his own performance.

In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona he set Irish records for the Olympic Round though didn't qualify for the elimination rounds, and was part of the team where Michael Carruth and Wayne McCullogh won gold and silver respectively in Boxing.

Noel was honoured at the Kilcullen Olympians Night last November which was part of Kilcullen 700.

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