Eddie Leddy, International Athlete
Eddie Leddy was born and raised in Gubbs, in the parish of Drumreilly. He received his early education at Drumnamore National School and St. Felim's Secondary School, Ballinamore.
Drumnamore School
Photograph of Drumnamore School, showing the plaque that appears on the wall. Drumnamore School is in the Parish of Aughavas and is near Ballinamore. It is still a two-teacher school, with about twelve pupils.
Leitrim County LibraryDrumnamore School
Leitrim County Library
Leitrim County Library
Drumnamore School
Photograph of Drumnamore School, showing the plaque that appears on the wall. Drumnamore School is in the Parish of Aughavas and is near Ballinamore. It is still a two-teacher school, with about twelve pupils.
Leitrim County Library
Eddie Leddy
Photograph of Eddie Leddy competing in a race in 1970’s
Leitrim County LibraryEddie Leddy
Leitrim County Library
Leitrim County Library
Eddie Leddy
Photograph of Eddie Leddy competing in a race in 1970’s
Leitrim County LibraryIt was while at St. Felim's that he took up athletics and he brought Ballinamore its first All-Ireland Athletics title in 1967 when he won the under 16 race.
In 1972, Eddie set a new Irish record in the 3,000 metres AAA (Amateur Athletic Association) Championship Steeplechase set in London. In the same year, he represented Ireland in the Munich Olympics. He later obtained an athletic scholarship to East Tennessee State University through American competitions. In 1973, he was the first Irishman home in the World Cross Country Championships in Belgium.
By 1976 he had reached the peak of his career, and in that year he competed in both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres at the Montreal Olympic Games. By the end of that year he was the national record holder in the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 metre steeplechase.
Eddie ran his last race for Ireland in 1979. He was part of the silver medallist senior men's team in the World Cross Country Championships, which were held that year in Limerick.