Forty years since Tony’s 140-mile solo

Borrisokane man’s great achievement

This month marks four decades since a Fianna Fáil councillor from Borrisokane soloed a sliotar from his home town to Dublin to raise funds for a publicly funded facility for the elderly in his community.

Back in 1982 Tony McKenna was the leader of a campaign to get the Mid-Western Health Board to fund such a facility in Borrisokane, but its failure to do so prompted him to take on the ultra-distance solo run to highlight the need for such an amentity in his home town.

Tony, then aged 40 and who has since retired from public life, set out on his 140-mile solo run, capturing considerable media attention at the time, and bringing a focus on the lack of care facilities for the elderly in Lower Ormond.

The solo run began on Sunday, August 29, with Tony aiming to reach Croke Park in Dublin by All Ireland Hurling Final day on Sunday, September 5 1982.

A veritable list of famous Tipperary hurlers gathered in the main street of Borrisokane to see Tony off on his ultra-marathon solo.

Among those who gathered on that day were All Ireland medal holders John Doyle, Jimmy Doyle, Babs Keating, Pat Stakelum, Mick Burns, John Hough, Donie Nealon, Joe McKenna, John Connolly, Liam Devaney and Tony's brother, the great John Mackey McKenna who won four All Ireland medals with Tipperary.

MEDIA COVERAGE

RTÉ television and other national and local media were present in Borrisokane to cover the event and there was also keen interest shown by the national and local media.

Tony, dressed in a Tipperary jersey, took a roundabout route on his solo to the capital, travelling via Nenagh, Thurles, Templemore, Roscrea, Borris-in-Ossary, Mountrath, Portlaoise, Monasterevan, Kildare, Newbridge and on to Dublin.

He arrived in the capital on the eve of the big final and appeared on RTÉ's ‘Up for the Match’ programme where he was interviewed be the show host Donncha Ó Dulaing before completing his solo to Croke Park on big match day.

The entire solo was spaced out over seven days, raising much needed funds for the centre for the elderly for which Tony was campaigning.

Little did Tony know back then that it was going to take over another three decades before Borrisokane finally secured the centre for which he had so strenuously lobbied.

There followed many more years of representations made by Tony, who persisted over the years in keeping the issue foremost in the minds of the decision makers.

When he retired from politics other local people took up the cudgel until eventually a day care centre was provided in the town.

Tony's record-making solo run will always be remembered as the standout event in the long and arduous campaign.

RENOWNED FAMILY

He says his solo of four decades ago is still remembered by many people all over the country.

Tony hails from a renowed family, his late brother Ger McKenna being a famous greyhound trainer and his brother Mackey a leading All Ireland winning hurler with Tipperary in the 1960s. Indeed the McKenna's are steeped in Tipperary hurling tradition and other members have worn the blue and gold jersey as far back to early in the last century.

Tony, who lives in Ballyhaden, comes from a family of 15 children, 13 boys and two girls. Only three survive today.

FORMER SENATOR

As well as being a former Fianna Fáil member of North Tipperary County Council, Tony served in Seanad Éireann. He is father of the award winning playwright Malachy McKenna, a winner of the PJ O' Connor Radio Drama Award, among others.

Tony is also served on the Irish Greyhound racing board, Bord na gCon where he was involved in the major reform of drug testing procedures for greyhounds. As Chairman of its Internal Audit Committee, the Borrisokane man oversaw huge improvements in how different dogs tracks managed their finances, particularly in relation to accountability.

During his political career Tony represented North Tipperary in Brussels as a member of the Committee of the Regions. He was President of the Irish Delegation to the Committee for a period of eight years up to December 2001.

The Borrisokane man is a former member of North Tipperary Vocational Education Committee where he served as Chairman from 1999 to 2004. He also served as Senior Vice-President of the Irish Vocational Education Association. He was Mayor of Tipperary County Council from 2000 to 2001.