John Conneely - The Runner

John Conneely was born on 6 October 1896 in Rusheeny, Oughterard, County Galway. He was a son of Patrick Conneely. farmer, and Bridget Conneely (née Coyne).

He came from a large family, was the eldest son, and second child. His elder sister Mary (Welsh) died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 11 December 1947, and others in the family were Bridget (Sullivan), Anna (Goldie), Thomas, Kathleen (O’Donnell), Julia, Margaret (Darling), Nellie (Faherty) and Patrick. At least half of the family lived in Pittsburgh.

Their parents got married on 3 January 1894 in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Oughterard.

John Conneely had his first taste of success on the national athletics scene on 7 March 1920 when he finished sixth overall and third scorer for the winning Galway team in the GAA cross-country championship held at Baldoyle Racecourse, Dublin. The six scorers for the Galway team are listed here in the order they finished; John Goode (Moore), James Kelly (Williamstown & 1924 Olympian),  John Conneely (Oughterard), John Connaughton (Ballinasloe), Patrick Connolly (Cappatagle) and Paddy Kelly (Ballydangan). They won with a total of thirty-eight points, Cork was runner-up with sixty-six points, and Dublin third with ninety-three points. It was on 15 August 1920 at Moore Sports, Ballinasloe, that John Conneely won the GAA 4 miles steeplechase championship, winning with a time of twenty-four minutes and forty seconds.

Two years later he was third finisher across the line in the GAA cross-country championship on 2 April 1922, and first scorer for the Galway team that finished third. His other sport was Gaelic football playing with his local Oughterard club.

Though it is not known when he emigrated to North America it is on record he crossed from Canada to Detroit, Michigan, on 3 October 1927.

He was living at 3346 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, when he died on 19 December 1960 in Montefiore Hospital in the city, aged sixty-four, and is interred in Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh.

He was known as John Connolly in America, or according to his death notice in Pittsburgh newspapers, John ‘Runner’ Connolly.