Tony Byrne (boxer)

Anthony Byrne, more commonly common known as Tony Byrne or Socks Byrne (6 July 1930 – 27 April 2013) was an amateur boxer. Byrne won a bronze medal for Ireland at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, in the lightweight division.

Byrne was born in Drogheda, Ireland. Doubt had been cast over whether Byrne would have the funds to travel to Melbourne to participate in the 1956 Olympics. However, a fundraising campaign under the banner of "Send Byrne to Melbourne" was created, and it raised £653 from local businesses in Drogheda to send him on his quest for glory down under.

Byrne carried the flag for Ireland at the opening ceremony and was the captain of the Irish boxing team. He beat opponents from Czechoslovakia and United States before losing in the semifinal on a split decision to Harry Kurschat of Germany. A few months later, he showed what might have been when he beat the eventual Gold Medallist, Dick McTaggart, in an Ireland-England International at the Royal Albert Hall.

Olympic results

• 1st round bye
• Defeated Josef Chovanec (Czechoslovakia) points
• Defeated Luis Molina (United States) points
• Lost to Harry Kurschat (United Team of Germany) points

• Liam Reilly. "1956 - A year to remember for Drogheda". IrishBoxing.com. Retrieved 27 May 2006. 
• CATHOLINE BUTLER. "Drogheda Prepares to Unveil a Statue of Its Favourite Son". Celtic Connection On-line. Archived from the original on 30 October 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2006. 

In 1962, Byrne, and his wife Honor, emigrated to Canada. The Byrne's settled in Canada and have a family of two girls and a set of twin boys. In 2006 a statue of Byrne was unveiled in his hometown.