From top: Ronnie Delany (left) and Kieran Mulvey, chairman of Sport Ireland; Ronnie with wife Joan and their grandchildren

This afternoon.

Arklow, county Wicklow.

A statue by sculptor Paul Ferriter and commissioned by Wicklow County Council honouring Olympic Gold Medallist Dr Ronnie Delany was officially unveiled in his home town.

Dr Delany was born in Arklow on March, 1935 and achieved international fame when, at the age of 21 he won a Gold Medal in the 1500m at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, on December 1, 1956.

At the unveiling, Kieran Mulver, chairman of Sport Ireland, said:

 “At the raw young age of 21 years this gangly youthful figure confounded the greats of the athletic world by winning the Gold Medal in the 1500 metres Final at the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956. He achieved it in a then Olympic record time of 3.41.2, and he was then only the seventh man to beat the four-minute barrier in this prestige race.”

Pics: Michael Kelly