Tom Kearney was born and raised in Kilkenny and was a keen sportsman in his youth, active in rugby, cycling and fencing. It was in fencing that he would later find the most success, winning various Irish national championships and competing for Ireland on two occasions, at the 1952 and 1960 Olympics in the individual and team épée events. Kearney moved to Ballyragget, Kilkenny in 1953 where he became a dairy farmer and was a longtime member and founder of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA). During World War II, he was a member of the local Red Cross branch in Kilkenny and also was a member of the Ossory Players, a local theatre group. His son, Ronan Kearney was a noted rugby player who represented Ireland internationally in the 1980s.
Ireland