Call for memorial for Athlone's Olympic basketball heroes

A Wexford-based Athlone native has launched a campaign to have six Athlone competitors in the London Olympics of 1948 honoured in their home town. Anthony Sheriff, who is from a prominent Athlone family, now resides in Gorey. He has this week called for a memorial to be erected to honour the six, who were members of the Irish basketball team, which competed in the 1948 London Olympics The six, all based at Custume Barracks, Athlone, were Dermot Sheriff, Paddy Sheriff, Bill Jackson, Frank O'Connor, Tommy Keenan and Jimmy McGee. Earlier this month, Anthony, son of the late Dermot and nephew of Paddy, wrote to both Athlone Town Council and the Officer Commanding at Custume Barracks, calling for their memory to be honoured. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, he explained: "My interest stems from my family links with three of the six, the main link being my late father Dermot Sheriff, his brother Paddy Sheriff and brother-in-law Bill Jackson." "My memories are of hard-working men with young families whose training regimes were archaic and basic when compared with the somewhat pampered approach to today's athletes." He continued: "I remember my father's stories of the build up to the games and how part of their training involved running up and down Patrick's Hill in Cork. This was to build stamina, and help focus the mind, and he described the physical pain they endured until they could run no further. "They had no professional sports psychologists, physiotherapists, masseurs, dieticians, conditioning coaches, video analysts and the countless other backroom supports in place for today's athletes, but the lack of such resources did not deter or dim the accomplishment and pride each and every one of those men carried by representing their country," he added. "After the Olympic Games they returned to ordinary lives, of family and work but always carried the knowledge they represented their country and the Defence Forces with pride and distinction. "Nowadays we use the word 'legend' glibly. These men were real legends who honed raw talent into an exceptionally high standard of competitiveness. They live on in the memories of family and friends, but after another generation they will be forgotten. It is with this in mind I feel it important they be honoured in their own town and barracks. "Recently, a monument was erected to the late Dermot Earley, and rightly so. He was man who represented his county and the Defence Forces with distinction. "These men also represented the Defence forces, their town, county, and country with pride and distinction, therefore, I request a memorial of some sort be erected in their honour as testament to the memories of these ordinary men who in their time achieved an extraordinary feat, that they may be remembered and continue to inspire other athletes." Mr Sheriff added that he felt all Athlone Olympians should be honoured, including five from Athlone Town FC who represented Ireland in the Paris Olympics of 1924 as part of the Irish Free State football team.