Claire Walsh was one of the true pioneers of women’s athletics in Ireland, the first woman resident in the Republic of Ireland to qualify for a European final when she finished 6th in the 800 metres at the European Championships in Helsinki in 1971, and competed in the women’s 800 metres at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, finishing 7th in her heat in 2:08.98.

Born Claire Dowling, she joined Clonliffe Harriers and won the club’s first race for women – a 600 yards gallop down Santry Avenue on 17 December 1963 – before going on to win thirteen BLE titles across events from the 100m to the pentathlon.

She set an Irish record of 2:04.90 at the WAAA Championships in 1970 and won another Irish record (2:03.40) in the 1971 European Championships final. By 1972 she was resident in Collooney, Co. Sligo with her husband Brian Walsh, training on the footpaths near her home with occasional trips to Claremorris for track work.

A week before Munich she equalled the Irish 100m record (11.9) at a meet in the Post Stadion in Munich itself. Her 800m heat in Munich was one of the fastest in the history of the distance, with the opening lap covered in a blistering 56 seconds.

She also felt the absence of the Munich Closing Ceremony keenly when the Irish team departed as scheduled – an experience shared by several of her teammates.