Irish athletics mourns the passing of Seán Naughton

The Nenagh native was the driving force behind the construction of the first indoor track in this country.

Sean Naughton

For those in Irish athletics, his legacy will live forever. Seán Naughton’s involvement in the sport spanned many areas across the seven decades he was entrenched in it – athlete, coach, official, administrator – but if there’s one thing the Nenagh native will be remembered for, it’s doing what so many others couldn’t and building the first indoor track in this country.

Following a long battle with lung cancer, the 88-year-old passed away peacefully at his home in Nenagh, just down the road from the indoor arena with which he became synonymous. As phone calls and text messages spread news of his passing on Friday morning, those in Irish athletics came to terms with the kind of void that’s become increasingly difficult to fill – that of the lifelong volunteer who gave so much to the sport and asked for nothing in return.