International athletics returns to Dublin next month – Eileen O’Keeffe, Ronnie Delany and Eamonn Coghlan launch Brother Ireland Morton Memorial International track and field athletics returns to Morton Stadium, Dublin next month. At the Mansion House in Dublin today (Monday 9th June), Irish hammer record holder and Olympic athlete Eileen O’Keeffe, Olympic gold medallist Ronnie Delany, World Champion gold medallist Eamonn Coghlan and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Paddy Bourke announced details of the Brother Ireland Morton Memorial – a new international athletics event which will take place on Friday 25th July in Morton Stadium, Santry to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the summer of world records on the old cinder track there. Over four weeks from the 9th of July to 7th August 1958 three world records were set in Santry over one, two and three miles.
With the generous support of Brother Ireland (which celebrates 50 years operating in Ireland in 2008) and the Irish Sports Council, the Meeting will serve as a send-off for Ireland’s athletes competing in the Beijing Games in August. The unique evening’s programme will be a free event for spectators who can apply for tickets (required to gain entry) through the meeting website at www.mortonmemorial.com
The Meeting is titled in honour of the legendary athletics promoter Billy Morton of Clonliffe Harriers who put on the 1958 meetings and after whom the stadium at Santry is also named.
The evening’s programme will include three mile and one mile races for men to mark the respective world records set by Australians Albie Thomas on 9th July and Herb Elliot on 6th August 1958. Ronnie Delany finished in third place behind Elliot – the first race in history in which five men ran under four minutes for the mile.
The women’s programme will a include a hammer throw which will be Eileen O’Keeffe’s final competition before the Olympics in Beijing where she is one of Ireland’s best prospects having finished sixth in last year’s World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan. Other men’s and women’s events on the programme will include 100 metres, 400 metres and high jump, a men’s pole vault, a women’s 3,000 metres, junior boys and girls mile races. There will also be mixed juvenile races.
Speaking at the launch the Managing Director of Brother Ireland, Sean Sheehan said:
“Brother Ireland is delighted to play a part in bringing big-time athletics back to the Morton Stadium and Dublin. Our company set up in Santry fifty years ago when Billy Morton and world records were synonymous with the area. As our team prepares for departure to the Games in Beijing the Brother Ireland Morton Memorial will be an ideal opportunity for a family night out to see some of our biggest track and field stars in live action.”
Also at the launch, Eileen O’Keeffe said: “Athletes thrive on high-level competition and it is wonderful that it will be on our own doorstep at the Meeting on July 25th. There is no doubt that the support of a home crowd should bring out the very best in myself and my Olympic team colleagues as we enter the final phase of our preparations.”
Further details:
Garrett Coughlan, Meeting Director, 087 1313146, [email protected]
Roy Dooney, The Media Group, 087 2414165 / 01 2301815 /[email protected]
