John McNally won a silver medal in the bantamweight division at the Helsinki 1952 Olympic Games.

He was Ireland’s first Olympic boxing medallist and the first ever Olympic medalist from Belfast.

McNally boxed out of the Holy Family club and rose through the amateur ranks during a formative period for Irish boxing on the international stage. At the 1952 Games he advanced to the final with a series of strong performances to secure silver.

McNally remained a central figure in Irish boxing, winning multiple national titles and contributing to the sport’s development in Belfast.