1996 saw the Irish team cross the Atlantic Ocean to compete at the Paralympic Games in Atlanta. This games marked the beginning of the modernisation of the Paralympic Games with the introduction of a new, more complex classification system to ensure a level playing field for athletes across all sports.
The small Irish team again delivered brilliant results throughout the competition with some very notable performance. In the swimming pool there were silver medal wins for both Dave Malone and Mairead Berry who would both go on to taste greater success at future games. The stand out performance of the Atlanta games came from Bridie Lynch who claimed Ireland’s only gold of the games in the Discus and she also added bronze in the Shot Put.
| First Name | Surname | Medal | Sport | Event | Classification |
| Sean | O’Grady | Bronze | Athletics | Men’s Discus Throw | F54 |
| Mary | Rice | Bronze | Athletics | Women’s 200m | T32-33 |
| Bridie | Lynch | Gold | Athletics | Women’s Discus Throw | F12 |
| Bridie | Lynch | Bronze | Athletics | Women’s Shot Put | F12 |
| Sharon | Rice | Bronze | Athletics | Women’s Shot Put | F32-33 |
| Grainne | Barret-Condron | Bronze | Athletics | Women’s Shot Put | F41 |
| Thomas | Leahy | Silver | Boccia | Mixed Individual | C2 |
| Joan | Salmon | Bronze | Equestrian | Mixed Kur Canter | Grade 3 |
| David | Malone | Silver | Swimming | Men’s 100m Backstroke | S9 |
| Mairead | Berry | Silver | Swimming | Women’s 50m Backstroke | S2 |
