In this Golden Anniversery year of Ronnie Delaney’s famous Olympic 1500-metre gold medal winning performance in the green vest of Ireland, it was fitting that Dublin City Council honoured the great man on March 5th by presenting him with the Freedom of the City.

In accepting the honour along with Bob Geldof, Delaney spoke of his strong connections not only to Dublin City, but also specifically to Sandymount, of which he was a resident at the time of his famous victory.

Delaney’s connections to the area go further for it was on the old cinder track at Irishtown that Ronnie broke his first Irish record over 880 yards in 1954. Local Athletics club, Crusaders A.C., proudly acknowledge Delaney as their most illustrious member and it was in their colours that he claimed four national titles.

The mid 1950s was a golden era of mile running for it was then that the race for the first sub-first minute mile was on.

In June, 1956 after finishing his exams at Villanova University, where he was on an athletic scholarship, Delaney became the seventh man, the first Irishman, and at that time the youngest man to dip under the magical four-minute barrier. It was then that Delaney realised that he could be a serious contender for the Olympic title.

And yet an intersting nugget of Irish Olymic history is that the selectors were in two minds whether to select him for the games at all! A dip in form over the summer resulted in a number of significant losses.

Furthermore, the Games were to be held for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere at Melbourne and due to the extra costs incurred by the long travel, the selectors felt obliged to select only those whom they felt would be contenders for a medal.

In hindsight, the selectors made the wise decision to select him and indeed Melbourne yielded Ireland’s largest harvest of Olympic medals for the Irish with a further silver and three bronzes in boxing. However, it was Delaney’s run in the blue ribband 1500 metres event that captured the imagination of the nation on December 1, 1956.

For Northern Hemisphere runners, the Olympics were held at a time of year in which they would have been unaccustomed to competing. Delaney still managed to fit in a couple of preparation races in California just before travelling to Melbourne. Delaney progressed comfortably though his qualifiying heat to reach the final. Despite Delaney’s sub-four minute mile credentials, John Landy was the overwhelming favourite to take the Gold.

Only two weeks after Roger Bannister first broke the four minute mile, John Landy smashed his world record with a time of 3:58. In addition to being the fastest miler in the field, Landy had the added advantage of running in his native Australia in front of home support.

Back home in Ireland, the ears of the nation were fixed to the radio at seven in the morning as commentary of the race was broadcast live. For most of the race Delaney remained tucked in behind Landy before unleashing a devastating burst of speed over the last 300 metres, which he covered in 38 seconds, thereby claiming Olympic Gold and the Olympic Record of 3.41.49 in front of a crowd of 110,000.

Years later Delaney remarked that his victory came as no surprise to him because although he wasn’t the fastest miler in the field, he was the fastest half miler and it was his speed over the lower distance that enabled him to kick past his opponents with such effect on the last lap. He also knew that he was going into the race in his best form.

The picture on the right features Delaney as he approaches the finish line, jubilant in the realisation that he is about to become Olympic Champion. Moments later, after breasting the winning tape, Delaney sank to his knees. The story goes that Landy, thinking Delaney was hurt, went to help him only to realise that he was in prayer.

Before retiring from competitive athletics at the age of 26, Delaney went on to add a European Championships bronze medal to his Olympic Gold. He further attached a world indoor mile record to his name in addition to amassing a total of 3 NCAA Titles and four successive AAU mile titles in America.

Yet it is Delaney’s enduring legacy as Olympic Gold medalist at the tender age of 21 that made him a household name and inspired generations of Irish athletes.