PJ Leddy gives a regular ‘like’ to reports and news on the Donore Harriers FB page. I wondered if he were related to former Irish Olympian Eddie Leddy, as Eddie was one of my running heroes. Of course, PJ was also a very fine athlete. He set an Irish Schools 3-mile track record (14.50) in 1967, before going on the win the Irish Junior XC title. PJ was part of the Ireland team at the World XC Championships in 1968 and 1969. He then took up a 4-years scholarship (1969-73) at the East Tennessee State University, where he enjoyed more athletic success. Let’s meet PJ!
STANDARD QUESTIONS
PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Mohill, Co. Leitrim – 10 November 1948
WHERE WERE YOU EDUCATED? Drumnamore National School, St. Felim’s College, Ballinamore, Garda College Templemore, East Tennessee State University
WHAT WAS YOUR MAIN CAREER PATH? Secondary Teacher St. Clare’s Comprehensive School Manorhamilton.
ARE YOU RELATED TO EDDIE LEDDY? Eddie is my only and younger brother (just the two of us) – we had no sisters.
<NOTE: Eddie Leddy represented Ireland in the 1972 Olympic Games 3,000m Steeplechase (timed 8.47.4 in Heat 2), and in the 1976 Olympic Games 5,000m (13.40.54 in Heat 1) and 10,000m (28.55.49 in Heat 2)>
WHAT ATHLETICS CLUBS WERE YOU A MEMBER? My Clubs were Ballinamore Athletic Club, East Tennessee State University and North Leitrim Athletic Club (Founding Member)
DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORTS? I played Gaelic Football, some handball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton, tennis
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? 12km Cross Country, 5000m & 10,000m
WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ROLE IN ATHLETICS? Committee Member (Vice President Irish Schools Athletic Association & Vice Chairperson Connacht Schools Athletics Association)
WHO WERE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? Padraig Griffin, Ronnie Delaney, Roger Bannister, Herb Elliott, Mick Molloy, Willie Morris, Tommy Madden, Tim Smyth, Dave Walker, Fr. John O’Donnell, Fr. Kevin Ryle, Ronnie Long, Noel Henry, Packey McGarty (Leitrim GAA Footballer)
SOCIAL QUESTIONS
WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? “Leitrim Echoes of the Great War” Padraig Griffin.
WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? The Musical “Billy Elliott”
WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?
1. Gone with the Wind
2. Michael Collins
3. The Mapmaker
FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? USA
WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? History Archaeology, Politics, Community Organisations, Trade Union (ASTI)
IF DESERT ISLAND DISCS ASKED YOU TO PLAY 3 SONGS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
1. Lovely Leitrim
2. Young Willy McBride
3. Joe Hill
ATHLETICS QUESTIONS
WHO WAS YOUR COACH? Padraig Griffin (Ireland) & Dave Walker (USA)
WHAT DO YOU CONSDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? Winning the Irish Schools Athletics Association 3-mile Track Title in 1967
WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES? 880-yds 2.02; Mile 4.17, 2-mile 9.06, 3- mile 13.55, 5000m 14.20, 6-mile 28.49, Marathon 2.25.12,
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? At the Bears Club in Gormanston College in 1966 with the late Sean Kyle – and many other sessions with Padraig Griffin in Ballinamore
DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? 24 x 440 yards in Johnson City Tennessee (at ETSU Track)
WHAT WAS A TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN?
Monday – 4 miles (morning), 15 miles evening
Tuesday – 4 miles (morning) 10 miles and 10 x 440 yards (evening)
Wednesday – 4 miles (morning), 12 miles (evening)
Thursday – 4 miles (morning), 10 miles and 6 x 880 yards (evening)
Friday – rest day
Saturday – race – cross country or track
Sunday – 10 miles relaxed run
DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS? I haven’t a funny story that comes to mind but there was always great banter before and after races in Ireland, the USA and before and after my two World Cross Country championships in Tunis (1968) and Glasgow (1969).
YOU ARE A KEEN FAN OF DONORE HARRIERS. WHAT ONE CHANGE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR THE CLUB? I don’t think Donore needs to make many changes – perhaps Donore might consider reviving the Club’s Open Half Marathon Cross Country race in the Phoenix Park, in which I ran – once or twice.
WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIMES (all sports)?
1. Ronnie Delaney
2. John Treacy
3. Sonia O’Sullivan
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
TELL US WHAT YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THE NATIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY RACE BACK IN 1968? I was running for Ballinamore AC (as an individual) that day in Mallow and I was very happy when I finished 7th and was selected (in the last place) on the Irish Cross Country team for the World (International) Cross Country in Tunis.
DID YOU EVER GET TO TRAIN WITH ANY OF THE DONORE HARRIER LADS? I never really trained with Jim McNamara, Eddie Spillane, Tom O’Riordan and the Donore lads, but I certainly remember many of their great races and their terrific dedication to training.
DID YOU GO ON A SCHOLARSHIP TO THE USA? IF SO, CAN YOU TELL US THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES OF THAT EXPERIENCE? I attended East Tennessee State University from September 1969 to June 1973, when I graduated with a B.Sc with a double major in History and Physical Education and a minor in Health Education. Positives – I gained a university degree with which I became a Secondary Teacher in Ireland in 1973; I won many local college races in 1969 and 1970 and I placed 4th in the 1969 United States Track and Field Federation Cross Country at Penn State; I ran my fastest mile, 2 mile, 5000m, 6-mile and marathon times in America. I (placed 2nd in the 1971 United States Track and Field Federation marathon in Wichita Kansas; I was a member of the East Tennessee State University cross country team that finished 2nd in the 1971 NCAA Division One Cross Country in Houston and I finished 15th individual, which gained me an All-American Cross Country Team award; negatives – very few – I missed out competing in the 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973 Irish cross country championships.
YOU STILL TAKE A GREAT INTEREST IN IRISH ATHLETICS. FROM AFAR, WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHANGES THAT YOU OBSERVE IN THE DONORE HARRIERS CLUB OF THE 1960s/70s TO THAT OF 2020? The Club has a great women’s section now that it didn’t have in the 1960s and early 1970s. Donore has had a great Masters section for many years now. I only remember Mick McNamara as well as Tommy Hopkins (Senior) plus one or two others as Masters in the 1960s.
WHAT ARE THE FACTORS AROUND THE RECENT PROGRESS OF ATHLETICS IN CONNACHT? Connacht Athletics progress is probably due to the dedicated officials and coaches who work with their athletes in all the Connacht Athletic Clubs, particularly at juvenile level. The Connacht Schools Athletics Association provides a good level of competition for young athletes, as well. My own North Leitrim Athletic Club’s Tom Kelly is a good example of a coach who works dedicatedly with young athletes but every other Athletic Club in Connacht, which includes Longford, has coaches doing excellent work with their club’s young athletes. The Connacht Master athletes also make big contributions to the sport in the province.
ARE THERE ANY MAJOR CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MADE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE SPORT OF ATHLETICS IN IRELAND? A change that could help to develop the sport of athletics in Ireland, and all other sports as well, would be if the Department of Education would recognise athletics achievement and participation – similarly for all other sports, on each individual students record of achievement like a Junior and Leaving Certificate Grade (As, Bs, Cs, Ds, etc.,).
I SEE A PJ LEDDY LISTED AS A SPORTS REPORTER WITH OCEAN FM, TELL US ABOUT THAT? I have been a part time Sports Reporter with local radio since 1991 (North West Radio and since 2004 Ocean FM, plus a number of other local radio stations and RTE). Since they early 1990s, I also have contributed sports reports etc., to many local newspapers – Leitrim Observer, Sligo Champion, Sligo Weekender, Longford Leader, Western People and Mayo News – and to the national newspapers – Irish Examiner, Irish Daily Mail, Irish Sun, Irish Star, Irish Times, Irish Independent, Irish News and Belfast Telegraph.