Harry Boland made history at the 1948 London Olympic Games as the only civilian member of the Irish basketball team - the first Irish basketball team to compete at the Olympics. The son of Gerald Boland, a founder-member of Fianna Fáil and government minister, and the nephew of the Harry Boland who played a central role in the Irish War of Independence before being shot by Free State forces in July 1922, Boland brought a remarkable family history to the Olympic arena. Introduced to basketball by his friend Fr Joseph Horan of the Oblate Order, who brought him to an exhibition game between an Irish army team and a USA Air Force team in 1945, Boland was secretary and playing member of the UCD hurling club and an articled clerk in his brother Enda's accountancy firm at the time of the Games. He played in the centre position and featured in the final group game against France, ensuring all thirteen panel members gained Olympic game-time. Ireland finished 23rd and last of 23 nations.
Basketball
