Cathal Dennehy: The record-breaking run that still bonds four Irish athletics greats

In August 1985, Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara and Ray Flynn broke the world 4 x mile record at Belfield to raise money for famine ravaged Ethiopia. 

August 1985; From left, Frank O'Mara, Marcus O'Sullivan, Ray Flynn and Eamonn Coghlan, who broke the world 4 x 1mile relay record in a time of 15:49:99. Picture credit; Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE

Had they turned it down – and they were close – they’d never have known what they would have missed. Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara and Ray Flynn would have carried on their careers, richly decorated as they were, and lived in blissful ignorance of the chance left behind.

It was August 1985, and the four Irish middle-distance greats were not all that fussed when John O’Shea, founder of humanitarian charity GOAL, came to them with an idea: for an Irish team to break the 4 x mile world record in Belfield. O’Shea had visited Ethiopia that spring, where famine was ravaging the population, and been inspired to put on a fundraiser that could help. He picked out a date, August 17, but Flynn, O’Sullivan and O’Mara were due to race in Zurich four days later and, as such, were hesitant. O’Shea hopped on a plane to Zurich to convince them.