Rosscarbery Steam Engine

BobMac104

A cool story taken from corkrunning blog

Ireland’s ‘Forgotten World Champion’ Runner
to be Honoured with Plaque and Annual 5km Run
He defeated America’s finest athletes at New York’s Madison Square Garden and other venues in the USA, and now Timothy Jerome O’Mahony, aka ‘The Rosscarbery Steam Engine’, is receiving long overdue recognition - more than 110 years later - when a plaque in his honour will be unveiled at his birthplace in the small West Cork town of Rosscarbery on Saturday 1st October 2011.
The unveiling will take place at 3pm that day and will be conducted by guest of honour, legendary sports commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

At a time when the GAA was actively involved in track and field sports, T.J. O’Mahony was GAA Irish Champion in the quarter-mile (400 metres) in 1885, 1887 and 1888 and Irish Amateur Athletics Association (IAAA) champion in 1886, before grabbing all the positive headlines as part of the GAA’s ‘Gaelic Invasion’ tour of the USA in 1888, when some of the country’s finest hurlers and track and field athletes were dispatched to promote Gaelic sports in America.

While hurling proved of great curiosity to the Americans on the unique tour by 48 Irish sportsmen, it was O’Mahony’s feats on the track - defeating the best the US could offer - that made the newswires, with gushing headlines like “Unconquerable Steam Engine”. The American athletes were the international benchmark on the track at the time and he beat the USA Champion in some style. This was before the era of the modern Olympics and he was described at the time as the de facto World Champion.

“This is a very appropriate time in our history to honour a great Irish athlete,” said Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh. “In the 1880s, an economically challenging time in Ireland, for ‘The Rosscarbery Steam Engine’ to achieve what he did was remarkable. He is an example to our young people that Irish athletes from even the smallest towns and villages can take on and beat the world’s best.”
The son of a shopkeeper, Timothy Jerome O’Mahony was born at home in Rosscarbery town in 1864 and trained in all weathers in a local field (even after school), with no coaching, his powerful and distinctive rhythmic style of running earning him the moniker ‘The Rosscarbery Steam Engine’. He was also the first Secretary of the local Carbery Rangers GAA club in 1887.

After his feats on the US tour in 1888, over 1,000 people turned out for a celebratory torchlight procession through the small town to give him a rapturous hero’s welcome home after the long boat-trip across the Atlantic. He retired some time later, moving to Dublin where he filed stories as a sports reporter. He died in Dublin in 1914, aged 50.

Some of his times...(Quarter Mile = approx 402 metres)
Times of O’Mahony’s Roll of Honour - Quarter-mile distance wins
All run on natural ground (grass/dirt) and subject to weather conditions, except Madison Square Garden (boards track).
Irish National Titles:
All-Ireland Athletics Championships (G.A.A.), Waterford, 1885: 60 seconds
Irish Amateur Athletics Association Championships, 1886: 53 and 2/5 seconds
All-Ireland Athletics Championships (G.A.A.), Kerry, 1887: 57 seconds
All-Ireland Athletics Championships (G.A.A.), Limerick, 1888: 53 3/5 seconds
Gaelic Invasion tour, USA, 1888
Exhibition run, Manhattan Club Grounds, New York: 56 seconds
Competitive race, Beacon Park, Boston: 54 secs
The American Championship, Manhattan Club Grounds, New York: 52 1/2 seconds
Madison Square Garden, *half-mile* distance race: 2 minutes 3 1/5 seconds,

Mumontherun

ran this yest. Nice course apart from the steep steep uphill finish what a killer. Registration quick & simple. Rain didn't hold off, race delayed by at least half hour due to unveiling of plaque. All that aside, hopefully it will be held again next year:D Great to see these "fun" runs popping up everywhere.

rom

Which hill was it ? I presume the one up to the square ?

Mumontherun

@rom yes that's the one, I'm sure it was no bother to those who have plenty hill training done, not a novice like me