THERE WERE so many brilliant aspects to Irish boxer, Katie Taylor’s, performances during the London 2012 Olympic Games that time and space prevents me from mentioning them here.

However, what cannot be overstated is the hugely significant amount of positive energy she exuded every time she entered the ring. Her performances during the fights were truly magical and if there was ever an occasion when a single sportsperson captivated the Irish nation as much as Taylor did over the last few weeks it would be hard identify, with, perhaps, Eamonn Coghlan’s wonderful adventure in the 1983 inaugural World Athletics Championships being the only immediate, somewhat similar, point of reference.

However, there are so many things about Taylor’s exploits that are truly unique that to compare her success to that of any other Irish sportsperson would be a mute point.

There are two hugely significant aspects to her success which for me almost overshadow the material aspect of what she achieved in winning an Olympic Gold medal.

To put it in perspective when is the last time you can remember seeing TV and media coverage given to a female sports star outweighing that given to her male counterparts? What’s even more amazing is that no matter what any of the Irish male boxers did during their Olympic campaigns their success was always going to be overshadowed by that of the Bray dynamo.

Think about it for a minute. The sport we are dealing with here is boxing; traditionally one of the most ‘manly’ endeavours imaginable yet within that world, where males have ruled supreme since humankind first walked upright, a young woman from Co. Wicklow has risen to the top and taken the sport to an altogether different level.

It’s such aspects of her success that I think are among the most important things Taylor achieved during her marvellous three week stint in London.

Katie Taylor has single-handedly brought equality for women to a point that would leave your average suffragette rolling her eyes in amazement. Significantly, her success came about 180 years after the Representation of the People Act (the Reform Act) provided the first statute bar of women voting.

The other thing about Taylor which I personally think she should be commended for is her openness about her faith. I’ve read some negative comments from on-line ‘journalist’s’ who have criticised her comments about God in the wake of her gold medal success. One particular scribe said there is no place for religion in sport. Religious beliefs can be included in every conceivable endeavour that any man or woman partakes in so long as they are expressed as a personal preference rather than a moral one – that’s when the problems begin.

When Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. changed his name in 1964 to Muhammad Ali he inadvertently brought religion into sport. In many ways Taylor and Ali have a lot in common.

Taylor, whether she realises it or not, is now a true icon of her sport in just the same way as Ali is. She is now a worldwide star but then, within the boxing world, she already was. Numerous European and world titles assured her of star status within the minds of those ‘in the know’. However, her Olympic exploits have brought her to the attention of the world at large. I am sure that people who never before looked at a boxing match were glued to their TVs when Taylor was fighting. Ali had the very same effect on people in the 1960s and 70s.

Taylor is widely regarded as a thoroughly nice person whose down-to-earth, almost shy nature is at odds with her fighter’s instinct when inside the ring. Make no mistake about it her spirituality is a major component in her being ‘a nice person’ and I am delighted that her faith is strong enough that she openly talks about it during interviews. The world is now at her beck-and-call and just like Ali she has the looks and charisma to earn an immortal place in the history of sport – if she hasn’t already done so!

The significant thing is that she probably won’t change, as a person, no matter what happens and that is what makes her truly that little bit special.

Incidentally, a final word of praise must also go to the unsung heroes of these Olympics and that’s the fans. During Taylor’s fights the intensity of the Irish support in the audience was a wonder to behold. How often have we seen it in the past at sporting events? Ordinary Irish people showcasing the fact that this country has some of the most friendly, decent and proud people you will find anywhere in the world.

Watching Katie Taylor and all of the other Irish Olympians participate in London 2012 was an intensely enjoyable experience but if truth be told it was the behaviour of the fans that made me feel particularly proud to be Irish. This is a fantastic country and by the grace of God [or luck, depending on your beliefs] it’s inhabited by some of the most remarkable people in the world.