January 30, 2014

John Treacy ’78 holds upper hand in Irish sports

John Treacy running
One of the finest runners in PC history, John Treacy ’78 & ’80G was a six-time All-American in cross country and track.

Like his brother, Ray ’82, sports remains a central component for another former Friar running great and PC Athletics Hall of Famer, John Treacy ’78 & ’80G.

A four-time Olympian for Ireland and a silver medalist in the 1984 Olympic marathon, John has served as the chief executive officer of the Irish Sports Council (ISC) since 1999. The council oversees the sustainable development of professional, amateur, and recreational sports in Ireland. Among the high-profile Irish sports it supports are track and field, boxing, sailing, and equestrian. In the last Summer Olympics, Ireland collected a record five medals.

With a budget of $55 million, the ISC has nine divisions, including an Anti-Doping unit. In fact, John, who interacts with some of Ireland’s most influential government ministers, attended an anti-doping conference in South Africa in November.

John also is a member of the Council for Concern Worldwide and its American affiliate, Concern US. Concern Worldwide is a humanitarian organization dedicated to tackling poverty and improving the lives of citizens in the world’s poorest countries.

A six-time All-American in cross country and track at PC, he was the NCAA indoor three-mile champion in 1978.

“I often say I loved my time at PC. I got a great Dom-inican education,” said John, who keeps in shape by running three times a week and cycling on a recreational and competitive basis.