Colm Gallagher

An Ulsterman by birth, Colm Gallagher went on to become a Dublin City councillor and alderman, and later an Irish Member of Parliament (MP) for the Fianna Fail (Republican Party) in the Dublin North Central constituency. The son of a Derry printer, Gallagher spent his early childhood in Athlone before the family moved to Dublin. In the late 1920s Colm and his brother Robert founded the Corinthians Boxing Club in Dublin. Colm became the club’s first secretary at the age of 16 and that started a life-long involvement with the sport in various capacities.

Gallagher acted as a referee, judge, and timekeeper and was an outstanding administrator. He was treasurer of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA), president of the Leinster ABA Council, and represented them on the IABA, and was also chairman of the Corinthians club, who produced many fine boxers including the double Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington, who started her career at the club.

Apart from officiating at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics, Gallagher had the honour of being one of the officials at the 1939, 1947, 1949, 1953, and 1955 European Championships. He was also due to attend the cancelled 1940 Helsinki Olympics and was subsequently presented with one of the 3,650 medals that were struck and awarded to athletes and officials scheduled to appear at the Games. In 1956, Gallagher was a member of the Irish Olympic Council responsible for selecting the Irish team for the Melbourne Olympics.

Shortly after being re-elected as an MP in 1957, Gallagher died suddenly at his Glasnevin (Dublin) home of a heart attack at the age of 46. He was an agency manager with the Irish Permanent Building Society at the time of his death.