Arthur MacMahon competed in the men’s skeet shooting at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, making history alongside Gerry Brady and Dermot Kelly as one of Ireland’s first ever Olympic shooters when the sport made its Irish Olympic debut at those Games.

A Naas-based solicitor, MacMahon built Ireland’s first skeet shooting layout in a disused quarry near his Blessington residence – constructing two trap houses and a makeshift clubhouse and toilet, and assembling a devoted group of clay pigeon shooting enthusiasts for Saturday morning practice sessions. The quarry at Blessington became the nerve-centre of the sport in Ireland for several years. MacMahon, Brady and Kelly were among the purest of amateur sportsmen – they delayed their departure to Mexico because of professional commitments, made their own travel arrangements and paid £1,036 for their tickets.

The Mexico Games provided an invaluable learning experience: the skeet targets arrived faster than anticipated, technique faults were identified, and the three competitors returned with the knowledge to transform Irish shooting.