The British Olympic Association (BOA) was founded in 1906 and some of its key members rose to prominence in the International Olympic Committee (IOC), helped by their hosting of the 1908 Olympics in London. The BOA was heavily Tory in its political make-up, and correspondence between its secretary and Baron de Coubertin of the IOC … Read more
In 1949 the North held its first official women’s championships and hired Franz Stampfl to promote athletics in the province. Stampfl would later coach Roger Bannister to the world’s first sub-four-minute mile, and in the North he helped to produce three outstanding Olympians. Thelma Hopkins broke the world high jump record in May 1956 and … Read more
The outstanding figure from the early years of Irish women’s athletics was Ellie Mary ‘Babe’ Leahy from Charleville, Co. Limerick, a sister of Olympians Con, Patrick and Tim. Ellie, a tall, athletic woman, regularly took part in high jump exhibitions and her brother Con thought her the best jumper in the family. In a diary, … Read more
Heat 1 Tisdall (Ireland) 54.8 Nottbrock (Germany) Hardin (USA) Semi-final 1 Hardin (USA) 52.8 (Olympic record) Taylor (USA) Lord Burghley (Britain) Semi-final 2 Tisdall (Ireland) 52.8 Areksoug (Sweden) Facelli (Italy)
Lord Killanin was named president of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) in 1950, and in 1952 was asked to join the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 1965 he was named the IOC chef de protocol and chairman of the press commission, a natural role for the former journalist. In 1967 he was named to the … Read more