President unveils statue of Dermot Earley in hometown

President Mary McAleese has unveiled a statue of the late Dermot Earley in his hometown in Gortaganny in Roscommon today.

Dermot Earley, the great Roscommon footballer and Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, died in June of last year after an illness at the age of 62.

The life-size bronze sculptor by Seamus Connolly has been erected in his memory just below the Earley family home in the small Roscommon village of Gortaganny.

There was a large presence by the Defence Forces and members of the 1980 Roscommon football team as well as retired commentator Micheal O'Mhuireachartaigh were among those who travelled to the event.