Irish sport mourns legendary athletics and hockey trailblazer Maeve Kyle

Kyle became Ireland’s first female track and field Olympian in 1956

Maeve Kyle who competed for Ireland in the 1956 Games photographed at home in Galgorm, Ballymena in 2016. .Photo: Matt Mackey / Press Eye

Today Irish sport mourns a legendary trailblazer - Maeve Kyle has died at the age of 96.

Kyle (nėe Shankey) was Ireland’s first female track and field Olympian, representing Ireland in the 100m and 200m sprints in 1956 and 1960. She then went on to reach the semi-finals of the 400m and the 800m at the age of 36 in Tokyo 1964.