22 Facts About Pat O'Callaghan

Patrick O'Callaghan was an Irish hammer thrower and double Olympic gold medallist.

Pat O'Callaghan was the first athlete from Ireland to win an Olympic medal under the Irish flag rather than the British flag.

Pat O'Callaghan began his education at the age of two at Derrygalun national school.

Pat O'Callaghan subsequently studied medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin.

Pat O'Callaghan returned to Ireland in 1928 and set up his own medical practice in Clonmel, County Tipperary, where he worked until his retirement in 1984.

Pat O'Callaghan was a renowned field sports practitioner, greyhound trainer and storyteller.

One of Pat O'Callaghan's sons, Hugh, won twelve Irish national athletics titles and three Irish weightlifting titles, setting eight Irish shot put records and three Irish weightlifting records; he was a successful weightlifting coach in the United States.

Pat O'Callaghan was born into a family that had a huge interest in a variety of different sports.

Pat O'Callaghan's uncle, Tim Vaughan, was a national sprint champion and played Gaelic football with Cork in 1893.

Pat O'Callaghan's early sporting passions included fishing, poaching and Gaelic football.

Pat O'Callaghan was regarded as an excellent midfielder on the Banteer football team, while he lined out with the Banteer hurling team.

At university in Dublin, Pat O'Callaghan broadened his sporting experiences by joining the local senior rugby club.

Pat O'Callaghan set up a throwing circle in a nearby field where he trained.

Pat O'Callaghan followed immediately and overtook him with his own first throw breaking the new record.

Shortly before departing on the 9,700-kilometre boat and train journey across the Atlantic, Pat O'Callaghan collected a fifth hammer title at the national championships.

Pat O'Callaghan wore his shortest spikes, but found that they caught in the hard gritty slab and impeded his crucial third turn.

Pat O'Callaghan did not take part in the national athletic championships in Ireland in 1933.

Pat O'Callaghan remained loyal to the NACAI, a decision which effectively brought an end to his international athletic career.

Pat O'Callaghan declined to join the new Irish Amateur Athletics Union or subsequent IOC-recognised Amateur Athletics Union of Eire and continued to compete under NACAI rules.

Pat O'Callaghan travelled to every Olympic Games up until 1988 and enjoyed fishing and shooting pheasants in Clonmel.

Pat O'Callaghan was the flag bearer for Ireland at the 1932 Olympics.

Pat O'Callaghan was made a Freeman of Clonmel in 1984 and was honorary president of Commercials GAA.