Abstract
Michelle Smith remains one of the most controversial Irish athletes of the twentieth century. Her victories at the swimming events of the 1996 Atlanta Games made her a hero in the eyes of the Irish nation. By exploring her life and swimming career, this article examines how a national hero was created and the reasons why she was so readily accepted by the Irish. It also assesses Smith's fall from grace, and her controversial drug test that turned many people against her. In a short period of time she was transformed from national hero to national disgrace. The key analysis of the article is an assessment of Smith's position as a speaker and promoter of the Irish language at a time when such minority languages struggle to find heroes that can grab global headlines. It demonstrates how Smith's hero status was reinforced by her positioning as spokeswoman for a minority, and how her fall from grace impacted the language movement.
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