RONNIE HONOURED IN HIS HOMETOWN
Olympic Gold Medal winner Ronnie Delany was honoured by his hometown last week as Arklow Municipal District hosted a civic reception in his honour.
Dr Delany (81) was born in Arklow and achieved world fame when he won gold for Ireland in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics in the 1,500 metres and was one of the first ‘Four Minute’ milers in Compton, California, the same year.
He was also the first Irishman to win a medal in the European Championships (1,500m, Stockholm 1958) and had an unprecedented and unsurpassed 40 straight victories ‘indoors’ in America from 1955 to 1959, including 33 mile races. He was the mile world record holder from 1958 to 1962.
Arklow Municipal District hosted this special event to mark Dr Delany’s achievements on the 60th anniversary of his Melbourne victory.
His presence in the town was greatly received and the guest of honour received a standing ovation on arrival.
Speaking at the event, the cathaoirleach of Wicklow Council, Cllr Pat Fitzgerald, said: ‘I want to welcome Ronnie Delany back to his home town of Arklow. We are here today to honour you 60 years after your wonderful achievement of winning the Olympic gold medal in the 1,500 metres in Melbourne.’
‘On a personal level, I consider you to be Ireland’s greatest athlete and a person whom I had the pleasure of meeting on two previous visits to Arklow. Your success in Melbourne is still etched in the minds of many of your generation, a win that brought so much happiness to so many people,’ said Cllr Fitzgerald.
Cllr Pat Kennedy, the cathaoirleach of Arklow Municipal District, said that they were there to celebrate one of Ireland’s greatest sportsmen and ambassadors on the world stage.
‘Ronnie’s win came at perhaps the lowest point in the Irish State’s fortunes. The people of Ireland needed someone to give them hope, and in 3mins 41.2secs Ronnie Delany provid- ed it and how the people loved him for it,’ he said.
Arklow resident and former local councillor Ms Nancy Quinn was also honoured to speak at the function.
As a lifelong follower of Dr Delany’s athletic career, she was delighted to welcome him to the town.
She said that his success was the inspiration for Arklow’s strong love of athletics and the growth of local clubs.
Dr Delany, in response said: ‘In my mind, I am an Arklow man. I thank everyone involved in today. I am deeply honoured.’
A graduate of Villanova University (class of 1958), Dr Delaney established a marketing consultancy business in 1988 following a successful executive career in the transport/tourism sector in Ireland. Over the years he has held positions with the B&I Line amongst others and was chairman of the Irish Sports Council and the National Tourism Council.
He is currently President of the Irish Chapter of the Villanova Alumni Association; President of the Irish Olympians Association and Vice President of the RNLI. He is also patron of the charities Debra Ireland and Goal and is an Ambassador for Friends of the Elderly and the Irish Thoracic Society.
His Olympic and other achievements were recognised by Dublin City Council when he was made a Freeman of the City while he was also elected a member of the Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame.
He holds an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and by public vote, Ronnie Delany was chosen as ‘Champion of Champions 1950-2000’.