Olympic flag a final tribute

Links with a cherished movement which dominated a career in sport and journalism were maintained in death when the coffin of David Guiney was draped in the official international Olympic flag. The funeral of one of Ireland's best-loved sporting figures took place yesterday from St Mary's Church of Ireland, Howth, to the crematorium at Glasnevin.

Mr Guiney, who competed in the 1948 Olympics in London, won 30 Irish athletic titles, mostly at his speciality, the shot putt. And the Olympics continued to be something of a raison d'etre when he moved into journalism as a freelance with several British Sunday newspapers and later on the staff of the Irish In- dependent, Irish Press, where he was sports editor, and the Sunday Mirror, quite apart from the numerous books he had published.

So, there was special joy for his family when Pat Hickey, the president of the Olympic Council of Ireland, offered the international flag for his coffin. Canon Cecil Hyland of St Mary's officiated both at the removal on Tuesday evening and the funeral service yesterday.

Mourners were headed by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Maurice Ahern, and the Minister for Sport, Dr McDaid. They also included the chairman of the Irish Sports Council and Olympic silver medalist, John Treacy; Joe McDonagh, the immediate past-president of the GAA; Niall Brophy and Mick Cuddy, former presidents of the IRFU; and Liam Tuohy, former Republic of Ireland soccer team manager.

Apart from representatives of all of the major sporting bodies, former Olympic gold medallist Ronnie Delany attended, as did Jimmy Riordan, who competed with Mr Guiney in the London Olympics. Another, more recent Olympian was the javelin thrower, Terry McHugh.

A plaque on the wall of Mr Guiney's kitchen bore the inscription: "Irish by birth; Cork by the grace of God." An extremely proud native of Kanturk, he never lost touch with his beloved county, a fact which was reflected in the presence yesterday of several journalists from the Irish Examiner.

Mr Guiney, who was 79, is survived by his wife, Phyl, daughter, Gillian, sons Roddy and Philip and 14 grandchildren.