- Tony Byrne
:"For Irish concert pianist called Tony Byrne please see
Anthony Byrne (pianist) "Tony "Socks" Byrne (born in
Drogheda , Ireland) is a former amateur boxer. Byrne won a bronze medal forIreland at the1956 Summer Olympics inMelbourne ,Australia in thelightweight division.Melbourne Olympics
Doubt had been been cast over whether Byrne would have the funds to travel to Melbourne to participate in the 1956 Olympics however a fundraising campaign under the banner of " Send Byrne to Melbourne" was created and it raised £653 from local businesses in Drogheda to send him on his quest for glory down under.
Byrne the flag for Ireland at the opening ceremony and was the captain of the Irish boxing team. Byrne beat opponents from
Czechoslovakia andUnited States before losing in the semi final on a split decision toHarry Kurschat ofGermany . [cite web | author=Liam Reilly | title="1956 - A year to remember for Drogheda" | work=IrishBoxing.com| url=http://www.irish-boxing.com/november06/2_November_2006_Byrne.htm| accessdate=27 May| accessyear=2006] [cite web | author=CATHOLINE BUTLER | title="Drogheda Prepares to Unveil a Statue of Its Favourite Son" | work=Celtic Connection On-line| url=http://www.celtic-connection.com/features/feat2006_09_04_pro.html| accessdate=27 May| accessyear=2006] A few months later, he showed what might have been when beating the eventual Gold Medallist, Dick McTaggart, in an Ireland-England International at the Royal Albert Hall.Olympic results
*1st round bye
*DefeatedJosef Chovanec (Czechoslovakia) points
*DefeatedLuis Molina (United States) points
*Lost toHarry Kurschat (United Team of Germany) pointsLife After Boxing
In 1962, Byrne, and his wife Honor, emigrated to Canada. The Byrne's settled in Canada and have a family of two girls and a set of twin boys. In 2006 a statue of Byrne was unveiled in his hometown.
ee also
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Ireland at the 1956 Summer Olympics
*Boxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics References
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