(Long jump world record holder for 25 years. 1st – 24ft 11 ¾ins at Ballsbridge. Holder of the grass take off long jump 23-10.5” – unbeaten even at this date 22/11/51.
Olympic Champion hop, step and jump, Athens 1906.
English long champion for six years – he held the all-corners record for this period.)

I
Across the span of more than fifty years
Through memory’s solemn cloisters echo’s come
When Irish athletes stood and took the cheers
And O’Connor jumped across the turf and won

II
His record stood for years, his fame soon spread
Like Davin’s, Kiely’s, Realy’s – many more
Giants of former years, all long since dead
Who dominated sport in days of yore
III
And now he too has passed and joined the rest
The almighty maker order trials to cease
He measured the leaps in life’s grims test
O’Donnor’s efforts o’er – he rests in peace.

RIP

William O’Donnell
22/11/57
(On reading of the death of Peter O’Connor)

©2018 The estate of William O’Donnell (Chiswick)

P.O’Connor 24.11 ¾ Ballsbridge Dublin 5/8/1901
First broken by R.Le.Gendre U.S.A 7/7/1924