Great to see them home. But tell us this....

I watched the arrival of Katie Taylor and her father in Bray this evening and it was a heart-warming scene. The sun was out, the sea sparkling, the crowd filled with love and admiration of this modest young woman. Great to see.

And then I thought: why wasn't there a proper greeting of the Irish athletes at Dublin airport? Yes, yes, I know we were told that the athletes said they'd rather go home. But Katie's da said neither he nor Katie were asked what they wanted; so how many athletes were consulted and what were they asked? Anytime I've seen athletes return from abroad - say, the Irish team from Italia '90 - they didn't look as though they weren't enjoying themselves by an on-the-spot greeting. Au contraire. So how come this sudden change? Is the invitation to Farmleigh on Wednesday for the athletes' benefit or for that of politicians? And won't at least some of the air have gone out of the balloon by the time that happens?

And now that I'm in a questioning mood, and since no reporter I saw asked it: why were Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan greeted at the Titanic Quarter when they reached Belfast? What link has either of them with that part of city? Or has the Titanic Quarter suddenly become the new centre of Belfast?

Just askin', like.