Banteer Honours one of Greats of Irish Athletics

Statue of Dr. Pat O'Callaghan is Unveiled One of Ireland’s greatest athletes was honoured in Banteer recently. Double Olympic champion Dr Pat O’Callaghan was honoured when a bronze statue was unveiled before a large gathering. Michael Heery, president of Athletics Ireland was one of many speakers. He said he was honoured to be present to celebrate and acknowledge what Dr. Pat did. He congratulated everyone involved in bringing this project to fruition. Cork Athletics chairman Noreen Murphy said she was delighted and honoured to be present. She said she had spent many great times as a child in Banteer where her father worked on the railways. And as her own name is O’Callaghan she was even more delighted to be present. She hoped that the statue would encourage many more to take up athletics, especially the hammer, which, she said, was a sport for men and women alike. The statue itself was unveiled by Dr. Terry O’Callaghan, one of the two remaining sons of Dr. Pat. His other son, Hugh is based in America and was unable to travel. Terry gave a fabulous account of his father that had the large attendance enthralled. Hugh, he said had subtly told him to mention that he had set an Irish shot record in Banteer! Dr. Pat came from a family of three sons who were all very talented. His brother Sean was an Irish sprint hurdles champion, while Con won a number of Irish decathlon titles. What’s not generally known, according to Terry, is that Con also competed in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics in the decathlon, with Dr. Pat in the hammer. Terry told how his father went to school at the age of 2 ½ and later went to the Patrician secondary school in Mallow, cycling back and forth every day. “I can only imagine the muscles that built up” said Terry. At 16 he entered the Royal College of Surgeons and graduated at 20. According to Terry he was the youngest medical graduate ever in Ireland, while in his final year he won the gold medal for surgery. He was too young to practice medicine in Ireland so he travelled to England and spent some time in the RAF where he was qualified to practice. After a while he returned to Ireland to train for the Olympics. He won his Irish first title in 1927. The following year he improved somewhat and was selected to compete in the Olympics in Amsterdam. The general feeling, according to Terry, was that he was being sent to gain experience, so winning the gold medal was a big surprise. Dr. Pat’s win was the first Olympic gold for Ireland; it was the first time the Irish national anthem was played; and the first time the Irish flag was raised according to Terry. He repeated his gold medal win four years later in Los Angeles, where he had to file down the spikes on his shoes to compete. It was usual to wear spikes when throwing then. Unfortunately the ground was rock hard at the Olympics and Dr. Pat set about filing the spikes down. Going into his final throw he was 3 feet off the leader. Fortunately he got the last spike filed down in time and he had his best throw of the competition to win by four feet. Dr. Pat spent fifty years practicing medicine in Clonmel and received the Freedom of Clonmel in 1984. But, said Terry, he was a Corkman first and foremost. He died in 1991 at the age of 86. Terry concluded his address by telling the young people present to strive for greatness. “I would hope this monument would inspire young people to strive for greatness. Dr. Pat showed that you don’t have to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth” he said, “and you don’t have to live in a big city to achieve”. “Effort and commitment will carry you a long way – it certainly did for Pat O’Callaghan” One very interested spectator at the unveiling was Fr. Paddy Byrne from Millstreet. Home from the States for a wedding he was brought along to Banteer by his Millstreet neighbour Willie Neenan. Fr. Paddy has spent the past 47 years as a priest in Nebraska. During that time he was actively involved in athletics and was chairman of the national youth committee for some twenty years. He also acted as team manager to US teams on five occasions. After such a lengthy stay in America his one wish now is to come back home to Ireland, and he hopes that wish can be realised by July. Dr. Terry O'Callaghan was obviously moved by the occasion. His address was excellent and you can listen to it on the Leevale website.