Walter Peterson

Walter Peterson and his brothers Bertie, Cecil, Jack, Nick, and William all played international hockey for Ireland, and were the first set of six siblings to play for an Ireland team in any team sport. They won 66 caps between them.

Peterson, like his brothers, was educated at Avoca School (now Newpark Comprehensive School) in Blackrock, and it was there that he started playing hockey. He went on to play for Old Avoca, and Palmerstown, as well as winning representative honours with Leinster. Walter, and four siblings, were in the Ireland team that won the Triple Crown for the first time in 1904.

After moving to Palmerstown in 1899, Walter was part of the side that enjoyed phenomenal success. In the six seasons between 1900-05 they lost just two of 160 matches played, and lifted the Irish Senior Cup four times (1899, 1903-05). When the club disbanded in 1907, Walter joined Monkstown Hockey Club and he won two more Senior Cups, in 1910 and 1914. Walter and brother Jack won a silver medal with Ireland at the 1908 London Olympics when they were the full-back pairing in the final tie against England. Walter played for Leinster 14 times and won 23 Ireland caps between 1903-14, bowing out in the 2-2 draw with England at Bourneville. It was the first ever match England had failed to win on home soil.