Eamonn Fitzgerald, 'superstar before the term was known'

The chairman of the Kerry Association in Dublin, Mr Eugene O'Sullivan, described Saturday's rededication of the grave of Eamonn Fitzgerald as a long overdue recognition of a GAA and Olympic hero.

"He was a superstar before the term was known," he said.

Mr O'Sullivan was among those who gathered in Deansgrange Cemetery for the ceremony at the grave of Eamonn Fitzgerald, who was a member of Kerry's All-Ireland winning team in 1930, and represented Ireland at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He worked as a teacher at Pádraig Pearse's school, St Enda's, in Rathfarnham, and died, aged 55 years, in 1958.

Kerry broadcaster and journalist Mr Weeshie Fogarty, who was among the speakers at Saturday's ceremony, said: "How Eamonn Fitzgerald combined his brilliant football career with his magnificent achievements in athletics must be rated as one of the all-time great Kerry sporting stories. His success in the hop, step and jump is still unequalled."

Mr Brendan Galvin and Ms Carmel Galvin laid a plaque and a container of earth from his native Castlecove, south Kerry, on the grave. The president of the Kerry Association in Dublin, Ms Mary Kelly, laid a wreath.

The attendance included the Olympic Council of Ireland's Mr Pat Hickey, the last Irish athlete to win an Olympic track gold medal, Ronnie Delany, and the president of the Irish Athletics Association, Mr Michael Heery.