Tributes paid after death of trailblazing Olympics icon & ‘true pioneer' of Irish sport who ‘broke new ground for women'
Kyle sadly died on Wednesday at the age of 96 after a life defined by leading the way for female talents in both
Advertisement
4
Maeve Kyle has died aged 96
Credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
4
She was Ireland's first ever female track and field Olympian
Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
4
Kyle - front row, second from left - competed at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Games
Credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
4
Jim Dowdall, CEO, GloHealth, right, presents the gold medal for the Women's 100m Hurdles to Sarah Lavin, UCD AC, Dublin, in the company of silver medallist Shannen Dawkins, left, St Joseph's AC, Kilkenny, bronze medallist Naomi Morgan, City of Derry AC Spartans AC, and Maeve Kyle at the GloHealth Senior Track and Field Championships in 2014
Credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
The Kilkenny-native became
She went on to represent her country at the Olympics in 1960 and 1964, and was part of the track and field coaching team for
In 2007, she and her late husband Sean - who died in 2015 - won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural National Athletics Awards
Among her many other honours, Kyle was awarded the European Coaches Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and an honourary doctorate from the
University
of Ulster.
Advertisement
Read More on Olympics
She was also appointed an OBE for her services to sport.
Maeve Kyle is survived by her daughter Shauna.
In an emotional statement, Athletics Ireland hailed her as a "true pioneer" who "broke new ground for
women
in Irish athletics".
The association added: "Her presence on the international stage opened doors for countless others, and it was her courage, determination, and dignity on and off the track that truly set her apart.
Advertisement
Most read in Sport
"Maeve Kyle was more than a legend; she was a torchbearer who lit the path for those who followed.
"Her contribution to athletics spanned decades, from her ground-breaking career as a competitor to her roles as a coach, mentor, administrator, official, and advocate for women in sport and coaching structures.
Olympic legend and third fastest woman of all time demolishes parents at school sports day
"Her legacy lives on in the athletes she inspired and the standards she set.
"On behalf of the athletics community across Ireland, Athletics Ireland extend our heartfelt condolences to her daughter Shauna, her granddaughter Indy, to the extended Kyle and Shankey families, her many friends, and all those whose lives she touched through her extraordinary career and enduring legacy."
Advertisement
Beyond athletics, Kyle was also a highly accomplished hockey player, winning over 50 caps for the Irish national team.
"Her sporting career extended across
Lochlann Walsh, President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland said: 'We have lost a legend of Irish Olympic Sport who rose to the top despite huge challenges in 1950s Ireland.
"She was an inspiration to us all. May she rest in peace.'
Advertisement
CEO of the Olympic Federation of Ireland,
Peter
Sherrard, added: "Our thoughts today are with Maeve's extended
family
, friends.
"Her achievements in life gave inspiration to so many Irish women who followed in her footsteps as Olympians."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Superwomen! Maguire, Thornton, McFerran, Brosnan Adeleke, now rugby's Kiripati.
Ireland's Ivana Kiripati will tell you she is from Dysart in Roscommon, proud of it, but that she was mainly brought up in flanker's rugby career began at Buccaneers but hit lift-off with the American International College in Springfield - no, not the Simpsons one, the Massachusetts remarkable here is that while Irish soccer (i.e. Courtney Brosnan), golf (Leona Maguire at Wake University no less), basketball (Edel Thornton), hockey (Ayeisha McFerran), athletics (Rhasidat Adeleke) mine this US who is of Samoan descent, only earned his first Irish cap as a 21 year-old, against Scotland last week, and will earn her second today against Canada as a 22 year-old having had her birthday yesterday."Ivana has been slightly under the radar because she went to college in America," says Ireland Head Coach Scott Bemand of her, to now, absence."So she's now finished up, finished up her college qualifications over in America. "When she was back over here, she was involved in Celtic Challenge last year over the Christmas period so Ivana has been part of our pathway, even though not on the shores of Ireland because she's been over in America doing her college course. Ireland's Ivana Kiripati and Siobhán McCarthy come up against Alex Stewart of Scotland (Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady) "So when she's been back in Ireland, we've had touch-points and kept in contact both through coaching, S&C, physio, all that stuff."So Ivana doesn't come in as an unknown for us, we've had tabs on her for a good while."Kiripati was an AIC Yellowjackets starter in each of her four years (2021-25) in the US, won two National Div II championships, and was an all-NIRA XV selection in 2023."We have watched her growth in the first Celtic Challenge from a young player having touch points in senior rugby to actually getting on the ball, creating go forward, and developing a new sense of on-pitch confidence within that Celtic Challenge space."So then we got a chance to work with her again last year over the last season's Celtic Challenge and she's gone from strength to strength."We weren't able to have her involved over the Six Nations because she was finishing up with her course over in America. Now that's done and dusted she comes back online but we've always knew that she'd come back online for this point."Strange too that the IRFU are not monitoring US colleges/scholarships opportunities as for instance Eddie O'Sullivan is Technical Advisor to prestigious Ivy League college Brown University which is an NIRA Div I Bemand of being 'away' in the US: "New players now probably have more support in terms of the island of Ireland. "So do I see it as a good thing going over to America? It has its challenges because, being honest. "It's slightly disconnected to the rugby programme over here, they probably wouldn't have that strong sense of the importance of a Six Nations, which is why she had to finish off her qualifications."We couldn't bring her over. She takes an extended break because she wouldn't have got the qualifications that she was over there to achieve. "There's a much stronger foundation, a lot stronger pathway in place now in Ireland so I would say probably it's the best place as it sits now for youngsters to be better supported, to be in Ireland. READ MORE: A Star is Born: Ireland's rugby no8 Aoife Wafer is about to set our sports world on fire - One F in Foley "But look, she's done what she needed to do, she's finished, she's awaiting the results of her qualifications and now she can crack on with rugby in Ireland."So it's great for us. We knew we would be able to have her involved in a World Cup pre-season and for her to be able to put her hand up for selection."And I suspect people will be surprised because she is a bit under the radar but I think they will be delighted to see what levels of performance she can add to the team." Kiripati was a recognised open-side in the US but Bemand believes she is versatile enough to play any of the positions across the back-row."So in terms of back-row specialism and capability of where she can play, she can actually play across the back-row. In terms of her ball carry and dominant, dominance in the face of collisions within close spaces, she's been outstanding."She's been outstanding over the whole preparation piece and I thought she got herself on the ball, started getting more into the game as it went on the other day and that's what you see with these young players."I think at the start, she put one down but we've seen her catches all pre-season, she's been absolutely fine, so look, she gets to go again this weekend."She'll certainly be somebody that I imagine people will talk about over the coming eight weeks for the levels of performance."America, university, has been good for the player, would Bemand recommend it for others with their eye on playing for Ireland?"Three or four years ago when she started a college degree, the WNTS (Women's National Team Squad) was at the stage of forming."So over the last two and a half years, I think it is, the WNTS is up and running so, Ivana actually went over there."Now the pathway has a process in place. We have a formed WNTS so she has been in touch all the way through."Ireland (v Canada, Ravenhill, Belfast 12 noon): Stacey Flood (Railway U/Leins); Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock/Conn), Aoife Dalton (Belvedere/Leins), Enya Breen (Blackrock/Munster), Anna McGann (Railway U/Conn); Dannah O'Brien (Belvedere/Leins), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock/Conn)Niamh O'Dowd (Belvedere/Leins), Neve Jones (Glou-Hart) capt, Linda Djougang (Belvedere/Leins), Ruth Campbell (Belvedere/Leins), Fiona Tuite (Belvedere/Ulster), Grace Moore (Trailfinders/IQ Rugby), Ivana Kiripati (Creggs/Connacht), Brittany Hogan (Belvedere/Ulster) Replacements: Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter), Ellena Perry (Glou-Hart/IQ Rugby)**, Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke/Ulster), Eimear Corri Fallon (Blackrock/Leins), Sam Monaghan, (Glou-Hart/IQ Rugby), Claire Boles (Railway U/Ulster), Emily Lane (Blackrock/Ulster), Eve Higgins (Railway U/Leins) Canada: Julia Schell; Alysha Corrigan, Florence Symonds, Alexandra Tessier, Paige Farries; Claire Gallagher, Justine Pelletier; McKinley Hunt, Gillian Boag, DaLeaka Menin, Sophie de Goede, Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin, Caroline Crossley, Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC). Replacements: Emily Tuttosi, Brittany Kassil, Olivia DeMerchant, Courtney O'Donnell, Pamphinette Buisa, Olivia Apps, Shoshanah Seumanutafa Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
What time and TV channel is Everton v Roma on today?
Everton take on Roma this afternoon in their final game of preseason. The Toffees are set for a historic season at their brand new Bramley-More Dock stadium, with Goodison Park set to be used by their women's team from now on. Irish fans will be hoping to see Evan Ferguson in action again today. The striker has six goals in preseason and is desperate to notch big numbers this campaign. 'How many goals would I like to score? I don't usually think about an exact number of goals. I definitely want to score in every game, even though I know it's not easy. Twenty goals? Let's hope so…" Ferguson told Italian media. Here's what you need to know about the game: Where is the game being played? Bramley-Moore Dock stadium. What time is kick-off? 3pm. Can I watch the game on TV or stream it online? Everton TV are showing the game, with streaming on Everton's website.
The 42
8 hours ago
- The 42
Ireland earn remarkable last-ball win against Pakistan
IRELAND SECURED a remarkable last-ball win to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Pakistan at Clontarf today. Jane Maguire was the hero as she hit a six off her first delivery at the crease to deliver victory for the Irish team, who continue a nine-game winning streak in the format. Advertisement Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first under some light cloud cover with a strong breeze blowing across the ground. Having lost the opening T20I by 11 runs on Wednesday, the visitors needed a victory to keep the series alive ahead of the final match at the same venue on Sunday. Batting more aggressively, Pakistan eventually went on to post 168-6. The key Irish bowlers were Lara McBride (2-27), Cara Murray (2-33) and Orla Prendergast (1-22), who took her 50th wicket in T20Is for Ireland. The hosts then scored 171-6 to win by four wickets. The key batters were Orla Prendergast (51), Laura Delany (42) and Player of the Match Rebecca Stokell (34). But the key moment was the final delivery, and Maguire's first at the wicket, which was hit for six down the ground to get across the line. You can view the full scorecard here.
