Main pic: William J Carr (standing, second from right) with his winning teammates at the 1900 Paris Olympics.
Ireland is today celebrating Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy’s latest Olympic win in the final of the men’s lightweight double sculls at Paris.
This is only the second time in history the country has won gold in that discipline at the greatest sporting event on earth – the first being the same pair’s victory at Tokyo in 2020.
Now, a search is underway to confirm whether or not a Donegal man won gold at the Parish Olympics of 1900.
Only a handful of Irish athletes have ever secured the greatest prize for their endeavours at an Olympiad while representing Ireland. But, a small number of Irish-born men and women have also landed medals while representing other countries.
Indeed, the author of a yet to be published book stumbled across the name of Donegal native William John Carr (below), a member of the USA 8s rowing team that took gold at the 1900 Paris Olympics.
William J Carr.
According to research carried out by Mr Tom Hunt, the rower in question was born in Gortnagrace, near Castlefin, on June 17, 1876 and died on March 25, 1942 in Philadelphia.
Mr Hunt is the author of a book on the history of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI).
The book was to be published some time ago, however, the author has come across significant new information.
“I was reading through a British reference book on the Olympics when the name ‘Donegal’ jumped out at me,” Mr Hunt told Donegal Daily.
“The book was supposed to be about the history of the OCI, however, I have come across information which shows that a number of Irish athletes also competed and won medals while representing other countries at the Olympics.”
Carr’s birthplace is also listed as Gortnagrace on the respected www.sports-reference.com website and ‘born in Donegal, Ireland’ according to Boathouse Row, a book on the history of rowing in Philadelphia.
The USA men’s eights rowing team at the 1900 Olympics. Carr is believed to be the fourth rower from the bow (front).
He was a member of the illustrious Vespers Rowing Club in Philadelphia, one of the most celebrated rowing clubs in the United States and the world. It is also famous as being the club of John Kelly, father of Princess Grace Kelly.
Historians at the club put Mr Hunt in touch with a nephew of Mr Carr, with whom he had a telephone conversation with.
“His nephew said he remembers him but he did not know a great deal about his career or about where he was born,” he said.
“He did tell me that his uncle was a carpenter by trade and, later in life, worked as a building inspector in Philadelphia.”
Further details of Carr’s Donegal background were published on www.ancestry.com in 2000, the centenary of his Olympic success.
One post by a Brian McIlcar, a grandson of Carr, stated that the Olympian’s parents were Robert Edmund McIlcar of Gortnagrace, Castlefin and Jane Doran of Alt, also near Castlefin.
They married when they were 20 and 21 years-old respectively at Melmount Catholic Church, Strabane, on February 11, 1873. Their fathers were listed as John McIlcar and Peter Doran.
“My grandfather’s (William John Carr) birth was registered in August 1876 and his parents were listed as residents of Gortnagrace. William’s brother visited the Doran Bakery in Strabane around 1960,” Mr McIlcar wrote.
Maybe Carr still has relatives living in either Castlefin or Strabane?
If anyone has any information whatsoever, they should get in touch with Mr Hunt by email at tomhunt94@gmail.com
Alternatively, you can email info@donegaldaily.com