How four Irish athletics greats put aside their rivalries for a world record that still stands today

In truth, Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara, and Ray Flynn didn’t even want to be there. In the end, it was a night all four still treasure

Frank O’Mara, left, Marcus O’Sullivan, Ray Flynn, and Eamonn Coghlan after breaking the world 4 x 1-mile relay record at Belfield on August 17, 1985. Their time, officially clocked at 15:49.08, still stands today. Picture: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

In the annals of Irish athletics, it’s a date that echoes forever: August 17, 1985, the night four Irish greats came together to set a world record for the 4 x 1-mile relay. In the 35 years since, their time of 15:49.08 has yet to be surpassed, a feat few could predict on that warm summer evening in Belfield.

In truth, Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara, and Ray Flynn didn’t even want to be there — their arms twisted, their consciences coerced, by John O’Shea, the founder of humanitarian charity GOAL. In the end, it was a night all four still treasure to this day, and one that several thousand fans present will never forget.