Death of Tadhg Twomey - Rising Sun AC Knocknacurra AC and late of Bandon AC

Tadhg TWOMEY (KNOCKNACURRA A.C.)

Seldom does one find a heavyweight proficient at more than a couple of events on the athletic circuit, and normally they are to be found in the weights division. Occasionally this point is proved wrong, a telling example being the burly, fifteen stone, 28-year-old farmer, Tadhg Twomey, of Knocknacurra Athletic Club, near Bandon, Co. Cork

This strapping athlete has not alone made the half hundredweight events personal property in recent times, but has achieved over 6' 2" in high jump, 47' in hop, step and jump and is equal to the best in the long jump.

Twice in recent years technical faults have deprived the popular Corkman of improving on Ned Tobin's 15' 5" over bar  record, set in 1943. In the National championships at Gorey in 1964 he lofted the weight to 15' 6" and, at his local Ballinaspittle sports last year, he reached 15' 6¼". Twomey's greatest ambition must now be to break this record.

The Knocknacurra athlete brought his Irish medals tally to ten this year when retaining the 56 lb. double in the All-Ireland senior championships at Banteer.
Let us follow Twomey on a typical season's athletic itinerary, the current one for example. At open sports meetings, asIrish champion, he must throw from scratch in the two 56 lb. events. His high jump mark was one inch but is now at scratch also.
At Ballinhassig on May 22 the Knocknacurra man captured his first championship of 1966 when winning the Munster 56 lb. O/B at 14' 9". And he was second in the high jump. On June 12 at Bweeing came a second in long jump and 56 lb. W/F, and a third in the high jump. That evening over at Carrigaline he was second in the high jump to Irish champion Pat O'Shea (Millstreet).

At Blarney on July 3 two thirds came to Twomey, in the shot and high jump. The week-end of July 16-17 brought further prizes to this versatile athlete. He was first in the 56 lb. O/B and second in the high jump at Banteer on the Saturday and firsts in the high jump and 56 lb. W/F at Skibbereen the following day.    

Then came the Irish championship double at Banteer and only last Sunday week Twomey was again in the prizewinner's list when getting second to O'Shea in the high jump at Ballyhooley.    

Above are just some of the successes registered by Tadhg Twomey in 1966, but enough to testify to a great consistency over the campaign.

Twomey continues to out-throw and out-jump some of the lesser lights and the big Knocknacurra man may well be doing so for many years to come. He has proved that there is a place for the muscular athlete outside the weight throwing circle.        -JIM FOGARTY