Harry Cannon

Although records show that Harry Cannon was a 1932 Olympic boxing referee, he was an all-round sportsman best known for his role as goalkeeper for Bohemians FC of Dublin who dominated football in the Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland) in the 1920s. Cannon joined Bohemians in 1924 and played for 13 seasons, winning four League titles and two Irish Senior Cup Finals. He was captain of the all-conquering 1927-28 team that won the League, Cup, and Leinster Cup. Cannon won two Irish caps, against Italy in 1926 and Belgium in 1928, when he became the first Republic of Ireland goalkeeper to save a penalty in an international match.

Cannon spent his life in the Irish Army after enlisting in 1922 and was promoted to Commandant in 1941. He played an active role in promoting many sports amongst the ranks, including basketball and boxing. Cannon was also a fine hockey player and cricketer but excelled as an administrator and in 1932, as secretary of the Irish Olympic Committee, he was the Chef de Mission to the Irish team at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, where he was also a boxing official. Cannon served on the committee of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association and later had the honour of being the first Irishman elected to the International Boxing Federation.

Cannon was still playing cricket until shortly before his death at the age of 46 in 1944. The following year Cannon’s 18-year-old son died when he drowned while bathing with friends. The Harry Cannon Cup for junior football teams was inaugurated in Cannon’s memory.