‘Rosscarbery Steam Engine’ to be honoured

He defeated America’s finest athletes at New York’s Madison Square Garden and other venues in the USA, and now Timothy Jerome O’Mahony, aka ‘The Rosscarbery Steam Engine’, is to receive final official national recognition with a new headstone unveiling ceremony in Glasnevin cemetery on May 13 — 98 years after the Cork runner’s death in Smithfield, Dublin.

Nearly 124 years after O’Mahony became the 400 metres Champion of the USA on the GAA’s Gaelic Invasion tour of America, legendary sports commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh will perform the unveiling ceremony at grave plot number RH272.

“The placing of this headstone on T.J. O’Mahony’s grave in Glasnevin represents the culmination of a wonderful series of recent events to mark the runner’s achievements,” said Ó Muircheartaigh.

“I am delighted to say there have been an exceptional number of goodwill gestures and financial contributions to make this day happen for someone who was a proud Irish man and a remarkable champion athlete of the pre-modern Olympic era.”