One of Tipperary’s most renowned athletics figures has passed away at the age of 88.
Nenagh Olympic Athletic Club has been paying tribute to one of its founding members Sean Naughton, who was instrumental in establishing Ireland’s first indoor athletics track in the town in 1984.
Sean was also a successful athlete in his own right, challenging for Olympic selection in middle-distance races back in the 1950s.
He went on to manage multiple Irish athletics teams, including the group sent to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, where Sonia O’Sullivan won a silver medal.
He received Lifetime Achievement awards from Athletics Ireland in 2009, and at the National Volunteers in Sport Awards in 2014.
He also left an imprint on the Nenagh business community as co-owner of Gough O’Keeffe & Naughton clothes shop on Pearse Street.
In tribute on Facebook, Nenagh Olympic club say, “he can rest in peace in knowing that his legacy is in good hands with the current generation.”
He’s survived by his wife Frankie, son John, and daughters Brid, Mary, Yvonne, Catherine, Patricia and Sinead.
Rest in peace to Sean Naughton a true giant in @irishathletics – a visionary who was years ahead of his time building Ireland’s first ever indoor track in Nenagh in the 1980s. He will be sorely missed https://t.co/uepy6QswJW pic.twitter.com/ulRIqCTu2b
— Pierce O’Callaghan (@Pierceathletics) November 12, 2021
Sad to hear of the passing of Sean Naughton, the key force behind the building of the first – and for a long time the only – indoor track in Ireland.
He spent over 60 years involved with his beloved @NenaghOlympic – one of those irreplaceable figures who’ll be sorely missed. pic.twitter.com/F5ylLpM1Bi
— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) November 12, 2021
