Ted Geary of Ballymore...RIP

Someone sent me this message today......"From the young to the old, one of Corks best distance runners of the fifties and sixties, Ted Geary of Ballymore passed to his eternal reward this week, he was winner of the Cork Senior Cross Country Championship in 1956 and as far as I can recollect also won it on three other occasions. May he rest in peace. "

Sixty one years ago back in 1953, Old Abbey Athletic Club was formed and in its first year, it held a road race between Waterfall and Goggins Hill which was won by Ted Geary. To commemorate it's 60th anniversary of it's founding, the club held a 5 km road race in 2013 over much the same route and Ted was present for the occasion as shown in the photo here.

Update : Ted Geary won the Cork Cross Country title three times...1956, 1957 and 1958. He also won the Munster Junior title in 1956 and was third in the All Ireland Junior competition in 1957 (Junior back then is the same as Intermediate today). 

Results of the Old Abbey 5 km road race...Sun 30th June 2013

Sixty years ago back in 1953, Old Abbey Athletic Club was formed and in it's first year, it held a road race between Waterfall and Goggins Hill. To commemorate it's 60th anniversary of it's founding, the club held a 5 km road race this year over much the same route.

Starting just to the north of Waterfall, a total of 84 runners ran the 5 km route to Goggins Hill on what could easily be described as a challenging course with plenty of drags. The first man home was Michael Harty of East Cork AC in a time of 16:44. The womens race was won by Rebecca McEvoy of St.Finbarr's AC for her first ever win on the road.

 First three ladies in the Old Abbey AC Waterfall to Goggins Hill 5km pictured with Ted Geary, the winner of a similar race over the same course 60 years ago. (From left) Rebecca McEvoy (St Finbarr's), first - Rebecca attended Goggins Hill NS where the race finished; Mary O'Keeffe (Midleton), second - Mary is a niece of Ted Geary; Margaret Shaughnessy (Duhallow), third....Photo courtesy of John Walshe

1    16:44    HARTY, Michael    East Cork AC    M   5:23.0
2    19:50    HOGAN, Aidan    Rising Sun AC    M35  6:22.9 
3    20:13    MCEVOY, Eamonn    St. Finbarrs AC    M55  6:30.3
27    24:17    MCEVOY, Rebecca    St. Finbarrs AC    F   7:48.8
30    24:25    O'KEEFFE, Mary    Midleton AC    F45  7:51.4
36    25:11    O'SHAUGHNESSY, Margaret    Duhallow AC    F35  8:06.2

The full results can be seen HERE

Photos...
1) Doug Minihane has a small gallery of photos HERE

Runners pass under Abbey Bridge, part of the old Cork to Bandon railway line which closed in 1961...some eight years after the original race....Photo courtesy of Doug Minihane