Unveiling of Memorial to 1952 Olympian Joe West

Finbarr O'Brien, Leevale, will unveil a sculpture memorial to 1952 Olympian Joe West at 2pm, on Monday July 7th, in the Community Park adjacent to Carrigaline Community Centre.

Joe West was a Carrigaline man and represented Ireland in the Marathon, at the 1952 Olympics, in Helsinki.

The Marathon was won by the legendary Emil Zapopek (Czechoslovakia), in 2:23:03.2, with Reinaldo Gorno (Argentina) taking Silver in 2:25:35.0 and Gustaf Jansson, Bronze in 2:26:07.0.
Joe West finished in 49th place in 2:56:22.8. A notable DNF was British legend Jim Peters.

Joe West was born in Carrigaline on December 4th 1924, and ran in the UK with Coventry Godiva AC. He was also a GAA player, winning a Junior All-Ireland medal in 1947, while playing with Carrigaline.

From Cork City Sports Facebook page:
"Joe West was born and reared in Carrigaline and started off his athletics career with the local Owenabui club, winning the Cork senior cross-title on three occasions. In 1947, he emigrated to England and joined Coventry Godiva Harriers. While across the water, he won several road races and also gained honours at regional and national level with the famous Harriers.

In 1952, he was invited back to Dublin to take part in the marathon trial for that year’s Olympic Games in Helsinki. Despite not having run further than 15 miles, he duly won the race and followed that up with an 11th place in the classic Polytechnic marathon from Windsor to Chiswick, recording a time of 2:32.

At the Olympics in Helsinki, West gallantly completed the distance in a time of 2:56:22, finishing in 49th place in a race famously won by Emil Zatopek who had already taken the gold medals in both the 5000m and 10,000m on the track.

And so, on that July evening almost 60 years ago, the large attendance at the Mardyke were able to witness one of their own, an Olympian marathoner, come into the Gaelic Grounds as winner of the eight-mile road race. West’s time was 45 minutes and 44 seconds and in second place was Ted Geary from Ballymore with P Reid from Dowdallshill in third.

That Cork City Sports meeting was described as easily the most successful sports fixture seen in Munster for many a year"

Carrigaline AC now award the Joe West Perpetual Trophy to the winner of their annual 25k Railway Run.