Laochra Fáil

Tá dhá ócáid le comóradh ag deireadh na bliana seo, bliain na gcCluichí Oilimpeacha.

Rugadh Ron Delany ar an Inbhear Mór, Contae Chill Mhantáin, ar an seú lá de Mhárta 1935. D’fhreastail sé ar Ollscoil Villanova í Meiriceá, áit a bhfuair sé traenáil ón traenálaí clúiteach, Jumbo Elliot. Níor thug a lán daoine seans dó sa rás 1500 méadar sna Cluichí Oilimpeacha Samhraidh i Melbourne na hAstráile ar an lá sin, an chéad lá de mhí na Nollag.(Samhradh na hAstráile a bhí ann!) Bhí sé ag rith in éadan John Landy, an laoch áitiúil a raibh an churiarracht dhomhanda aige. Ach le 150 méadar fágtha, thosaigh Delany ag rábáil agus d’fhág sé na iomaitheoirí eile ina dhiaidh. Rinne sé go hiontach i rásaí taobh istigh: bhris sé an churiarracht dhomhanda don rás míle taobh istigh trí huaire. Bhain sé bonn óir ag na Chuichí Domhanda Ollscoile i 1961. D’éirigh sé ón lúthcleasaíocht agus thosaigh sé ag obair d’Aer Lingus. Bhunaigh sé comhlacht margaíochta dá chuid féin. Tá sé beo beatha go fóill – agus tá sé ag obair leis! Rugadh Pat O’Callaghan ar an 5 Meán Fómhair 1901 agus fuair sé bás ar an 1 Nollaig 1991. Thosaigh sé ag freastal ar an Scoil Náisiúnta i gCeann Toirc, Contae Chorcaí, nuair a bhí sé dhá bhliain d’aois! Rinne sé staidéar sa leigheas i mBaile Átha Cliath agus d’oibrigh sé mar dhochtúír i gClúín Meala ó 1928 go 1984. Bhí suim mhór ag a chlann uilig sa spórt. D’imir sé peil ghaelach, iománaíocht agus rugbaí. Ansin chuir sé spéis i gcaitheamh an oird. D’éirigh go han-mhaith leis i gcomórtais ar fud na tíre. Chuaigh seisean agus a dheartháir Con chuig na Cluichí Oilimpeacha in Amstardam i 1928. Bhí Con páirteach sa deacatlan. Bhí orthu a gcostais féin a íoc! Bhain Pat an bonn óir i gcomórtas an oird agus ardaíodhh brat náisiúnta na hÉireann don chéad uair riamh ag na Cluichí. Chuaigh Pat go dtí na Cluichí Oilimpeacha i Los Angeles i 1932 agus bhain sé an bonn óir arís. Bailíodh airgead ag geata an teach pobail chun a chostais taistil a chlúdach!

Thug an bheirt laochra seo an-inspioráid do na lúthchleasaithe óga a tháinig ina ndiaidh.

Translation

Irish Heroes

We mark two events at the end of this Olympic year.

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Ron Delany was born in Arklow, County Wicklow, on the sixth of March, 1935. He studied at Villanova University in the States, where he was trained by the famous coach, Jumbo Elliot. He was not given much of a chance in the 1500 metres in the Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne on the first of December 1956. (It was the Australian summer!) He was running against John Landy, the local hero who held the world record. But with 150 metres to go, Delany sprinted and left the rest of the field behind. He was an outstanding indoor runner: he broke the indoor world record for the mile three times. He won a gold medal at the World University Games in 1961. He retired from athletics and began working for Aer Lingus. He set up his own marketing firm. He is still very much alive and is still working!

Pat O’Callaghan was born on 5 September 1901 and he died on 1 December 1991. He started school at the National School, Kanturk, County Cork, at the age of two! He studied medicine in Dublin and he worked as a doctor in Clonmel from 1928 till 1984.His whole family were sports enthusiasts. He played Gaelic football, hurling and rugby. Then he took an interest in hammer throwing. He competed very successfully in events throughout the country. He went with his brother Con to the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928. They had to pay their own expenses! Con took part in the decathlon. Pat won the gold medal in the hammer event and the Irish flag was raised for the first time at the Games. Pat went to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932 and he took the gold medal again. They had a church gate collection for him to cover travel!

These two heroes were a great source of inspiration to the young athletes who came after them.