Ireland competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 59 competitors, 51 men and 8 women, took part in 54 events in 12 sports. No Irish athletes received an Olympic medal in their sport.
Men's 400 metres
Fanaghan McSweeney
Heat — 47.1 (→ did not advance)
Men's 800 metres
Frank Murphy
Heat — 1:51.1
Semifinals — 1:49.2 (→ did not advance)
Men's 1.500 metres
Frank Murphy
Heat — 3:43.3 (→ did not advance)
Men's 5.000 metres
Michael Keogh
Heat — 13:57.8 (→ did not advance)
John Hartnett
Heat — 14:34.6 (→ did not advance)
Men's 10.000 metres
Neil Cusack
Heat — 28:45.8 (→ did not advance)
Men's 3.000 metres Steeplechase
Edward Leddy
Heat — 8:47.4 (→ did not advance)
Men's Marathon
Danny McDaid
Final — 2:22:25 (→ 23rd place)
Des McGann
Final — 2:28:31 (→ 42nd place)
Donie Walsh
Final — 2:31:12 (→ 47th place)
Men's Shot Put
Phil Conway
Qualifying Round — 16.69 m (→ did not advance)
Women's 800 metres
Claire Walsh
Heat — 2:08.98 (→ did not advance)
Mary Tracey
Heat — 2:04.18 (→ did not advance)
Women's 1.500 metres
Mary Tracey
Heat — 4:16.43 (→ national record, did not advance)
Women's 100m Hurdles
Margaret Murphy
Heat — 15.89 m (→ did not advance)
Women's Pentathlon
Margaret Murphy
Final ranking — 3770 pts (→ 27th place)
Men's Welterweigt 67 kg Joe Darcy unable to compete due to injury.
Men's Light Middleweight (– 71 kg)
Christopher Elliott
First Round — Bye
Second Round — Defeated Farouk Kesrouan (LEB), 5:0
Third Round — Lost to Emeterio Villanueva (MEX), TKO-3
Four cyclists represented Ireland in 1972.
Individual road race
Liam Horner — 38th place
Kieron McQuaid — 40th place
Peter Doyle — 69th place
Noel Taggart — did not finish (→ no ranking)
Team time trial
Liam Horner
Peter Doyle
Kieron McQuaid
Noel Taggart
One fencer represented Ireland in 1972.
Men's foil
John Bouchier-Hayes
Men's épée
John Bouchier-Hayes
Men's Single Sculls
John Joseph Drea
Heat — 7:47.64
Repechage — 7:50.27
Semi Finals — 8:27.70
B-Final — 7:55.33 (→ 7th place)
Four male shooters represented Ireland in 1972.
Trap
Dermot Kelly
Gerry Brady
Skeet
William Campbell
Arthur McMahon
Men's 100m Freestyle
Andrew Hunter
Heat — 56.09s (→ did not advance)
