IN A REPEAT of scenes from four years ago, families – locals, alongside fans from further afield – once again packed the seafront area of Bray to watch Katie Taylor give her all on the world stage.
The fighter – a proud Bray-woman, and arguably the best-known Irish sportswoman of her generation – completed a lifetime dream at the London Olympics, beating her Russian opponent to claim the gold in 2012.
Optimism abounded on that August afternoon – and there was a carnival atmosphere as parents and children took in the sun and queued for ice-cream in the north Wicklow town.
And while there was no shortage of support this afternoon as thousands of fans gathered once again, some spectators admitted they weren’t quite so optimistic this time around.
Taylor, once almost invincible in the ring, had lost two fights leading up to today’s quarter-final clash with 35-year-old Finnish veteran Mira Potkonen.
And after a string of disappointments for Ireland’s boxers in the opening days of the Rio games, her supporters, chatting in the sunshine, wondered whether she was equal to the task.
Around five thousand people packed out the Bray sea front to watch the fight. Hundreds more gathered in the Martello, the Porterhouse and other water-side bars, which were decked out with posters and bunting to mark the day.
As latecomers streamed across from the local Dart station, a loud cheer came up from the crowd – spectators catching the first glimpse of their hero on a specially-erected big screen.
Those cheers continued as the first round began – with Taylor scraping a 10-9 9-10 10-9 decision.
Potkonen came back in the second to claim the round on all three scorecards.
And while Katie put in a strong display in the third, it just wasn’t enough. She still trailed according to two judges, and went down by split decision.
“I really wanted her to go all the way,” a crestfallen Nathan Harte (aged 11) said afterwards.
I really thought she’d won that, for sure. She’s still number one to us though … she’s still the best.
Fans of all ages, along the shore, echoed that sentiment. Said Rita Miles:
“The weather was good, the crowd was good, the atmosphere was good today … but the result? What can you say, it’s just devastating and so disappointing.
You could see it on her face there that she couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it.
The post-fight interview, conducted just moments after the defeat, was a tough watch for the crowd. Many of the assembled fans had turned out before for Katie’s fights (and homecomings). The atmosphere today, by contrast, was solemn and subdued.
“It would have been a been a very different day if she’d got through but we’re all here to support her,” another fan, Colette Lynch, said.
“It’s devastating. It’s devastating for her after all that work but also the town. Everyone loves her.
I couldn’t get over the crowds here today, all out to support Katie.
“I really felt for her there in her interview,” Jackie Fenton said, further along the sea front.
She was so emotional, the heartbreak. You’d nearly want to cry with her.
As the shadows lengthened, most of the fans hurried off to catch their trains and buses. Many locals remained, however – some lightly drowning their sorrows, others trying to salvage a few positives from the afternoon’s events.
“The only silver lining is that that woman who beat her is 35,” one man said – speculating that their local hero could yet stage a stunning comeback in Japan in four years’ time.
She’ll be guaranteed a warm welcome home too, whenever she returns from Rio.
“I was here for all her other fights in London – and we came out to welcome her home on the bus, in the rain,” Jackie, who spoke to us just after the fight, said.
We’ll give her just the same welcome this time around.
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