For well over four decades, Dan McCarthy has made a major contribution to athletics, not just in his local East Cork domain but also at County level. A native of Ballynoe on the Cork/Waterford border, Dan’s first love was hurling in which he won East Cork Junior ‘A’ and ‘B’ medals with his beloved St Catherine’s. With the formation of BLE in 1967 came a new athletic club in the village, also named St Catherine’s. Dan’s involvement here led on to him becoming Vice-Chairman of the East Cork Athletics Board. In September of 1979, Dan was elected Chairman and he remained in that same position until August 2009 – 31 years of service to what was one of the first divisional boards of athletics in this country. During his tenure as chairman, he was responsible for the introduction of a road race championship and also for re-introducing a number of perpetual trophies which had lapsed over the years. Those three decades also saw many well-known athletes emerge from the East Cork region, including two Olympians, Liam O’Brien and Sonia O’Sullivan.
Dan also served for many years as Vice-Chairman of the Cork County Board and it was with great satisfaction he welcomed the revival of St Catherine’s AC in 2009, being elected President on its formation and which position he still holds today. Always willing to help out at any event in a variety of roles, for the vast number of people now involved in road running, Dan McCarthy is the unmistakably figure who fires the starting gun at virtually every race in East Cork.
At probably the best-known event of all, the Ballycotton ‘10’, Dan has been starter on around 35 occasions and has sent an estimated 45,000 runners on their ten-mile journey. There is no doubt that not one of those 45,000 could say they didn’t get a fair start – because impartially, fairness and a willingness to help others have been the hallmark of Dan McCarthy’s sporting life.
He is indeed a worthy recipient of this Hall of Fame award.
Dan McCarthy receiving the Hall of Fame Award
