I like so many others, was saddened on hearing of the passing of Ronnie Delany. He had reached the ripe old age of 91 years. Even with the Olympic 1500 metres gold medal round his neck, he remained the modest gentleman he always was. His gold medal success became “the talk of the country”. His name became a byword for success.
I associate my own marriage, which took place in Dublin at that time, with Ronnie Delany’s name, which was on everyone’s lips. As Ireland’s first Olympic track and field gold medallist, he brought great joy to the dark days of 1950s Ireland.
There was real excitement when he returned to Dublin in the summer of 1956.
The picture of him uttering a prayer on bended knees at the finishing line will stay in the memory of many forever. - Yours, etc,
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Mary Rigney,
Kilgobbin,
Dublin 18.
