The Olympic Council of Ireland have been informed of the death on Thursday 14 August of Ernest ” Square ” Mc Cartney selected for the 1948 Olympic Games (Wellington Swimming Club member). Square, as he was commonly known, received a special award from the OCI prior to the London Olympics to mark his selection for the London games of 1948. Because of illness, Square was unable to attend to receive the award but it was presented to him in Dundrum Co Down. The OCI extends its sincere condolences to Ernest McCartney’s family and to his many friends and colleagues. (Pictured L to R: Paddy Kavanagh, Ernest McCartney, and Pat Hickey)
Dundrum man recalls 1948 Olympic drama (Down Recorder interview)
The return of the Olympic games to London this summer for the first time since 1948 are bringing old memories back to life for a Dundrum swimmer. Ninety year-old Ernest McCartney was part of Ireland’s swimming squad when it travelled to London in July 1948 to compete in the 11th Olympic games. Delighted to have secured a place on the biggest stage of world sport, Ernest had little idea his dreams of competing would be dashed as he waited at the side of the pool ready to undertake his 100-yard front crawl. A behind the scenes political storm, based on the fact that Ireland had just recently been declared a Republic, meant the International Swimming Federation barred Ernest and another member of the team from competing because they were from the north. As a result, the team was forced to withdraw at the last minute, making headlines around the world. Recalling the moment when his Olympic dreams were dashed, Ernest says he was at the side of the swimming pool in Wembley ready to swim, when news came through that they had been withdrawn. “We knew the whole issue of representing Ireland was a fuzzy area because it was decided there was going to be recognition of new international boundaries,” he said. “We had been selected by the Irish Swimming Association, three of us were from the south and two from the north. “We went as a united team on the basis that if we did not swim as an Irish team we would not swim at all. That is what happened. “There was a great furore and we were told on no account were we to speak to the press. It was big news. “We took it quite well though. We were advised to make the most of being at the games and we spent a week watching some of the fringe events, like fencing. “There was great camaraderie.” The boys returned home in early August — a return that brought many of their dreams of Olympic glory to a permanent end. Speaking at his Dundrum home this week, Ernest says he first developed an interest in swimming as a 10 year-old boy in east Belfast when a neighbour started to take him to the Ormeau baths. By the time he was 20, Ernest had come to the attention of the Irish selectors after sweeping the championship boards in 1942 with record-breaking golds in the 100 yard, 200 yard, 400 yard, 800 yard and 1500 yard freestyle championships. He says he was then at the pinnacle of fitness and believes he would have had a chance of an Olympic medal either for the UK or Ireland if the games had not been cancelled in 1944 due to World War Two. Ernest, who was 26 when he was cruelly withdrawn from the 1948 panel, says his days of competing were by then coming to an end. He gave up competitive swimming soon afterwards to concentrate on coaching others. Ernest is quite nonplussed about the hype surrounding the forthcoming Olympic games and believes the 1948 games were the “last amateur and modest games.” “It was a lovely games to be at and there was great fun about them,” he said. “Most of us were amateur, the only professionals were army personnel with their horses who were very impressive. “It was a world away from the games now, mainly because there was no money for anything extravagant. “It was all on a shoestring but I think it was much better for that. “Participants co-operated with each other to get feed for their horses, and I remember one of the Irish team members getting steaks sent over from home for us. “It was simple and fun.” Although he gave up competitive swimming many decades ago, it was much more recently that Ernest was forced to give up swimming as a hobby. He says he retired fully from the sport last year due to ill health, bringing to an end a tradition of a daily swim with his wife Joyce in the Narrows near his Dundrum home from Easter to November every year. “Swimming is one of the best exercises you can do. Your body is held up and it is relatively easy but it works every muscle. It has stood me well,” he said.
