Edward J Kelliher (8 March 1920 - 1 June 2017) was a sailor and businessman from Ireland. He maintained a membership with the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire for over 62 years, and became the first Olympian to be associated with the club. He participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics which took place in Tokyo, Japan, the first time an Olympic tournament took place in Asia. Alongside a career in sailing, he also became chairman in the O’Connell street branch of the well-known Irish bookstore, Easons, as well as becoming the president of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. He later died at 98 years of age, with his funeral taking place in Dun Laoghaire, where he spent much of his adult life.
Early life
Eddie Kelliher was born in the town of Tralee, County Kerry, on the 8 March 1920. He grew up alongside his sister Sue McKenna (Nee Kelliher) before moving to Dublin as a teenager. His family had a long history of attending Castleknock College in Country Dublin and Kelliher went on to continue this trend by attending the school as a boarding student throughout his teenage years following the move to the capital from his place of birth. At a similar time, Kelliher began to develop an interest in the water and in sailing. His first experiences in sailing did not occur until he was fifteen years old, and these took place off Fenit harbour, Tralee.
From an early age Kelliher was surrounded by an entrepreneurial atmosphere, as the Kelliher family were known as general merchants and millers since 1859. Following the completion of his studies at Castleknock, Kelliher did a year long apprenticeship within the family business. At that time, many of the workers who joined a family business remained in that company for the rest of their lives, however, Kelliher moved on to other roles within different companies. Kelliher would later become a chairman in Eason's as well as the president of Dublin Chamber of Commerce in 1978.
Family life
Hailing from a family of millers and general merchants since 1859, Eddie Kelliher was the only son of Maurice A. and Ellen Kelliher, who married in 1918. Kelliher had two sisters, Susan McKenna and Mary Walsh. Kelliher's father, Maurice A., the second son of Maurice J., was managing director of the family firm, M. Kelliher & Sons (1935) Ltd. until it was acquired by Edward, Maurice P. And John J. Kelliher in 1951. The family lived at “Park na Doon” house in Oakpark, Tralee. The property, which was built by its previous owner, William H. McCowen in 1882, is a detached five-bay three-storey house featuring an on-site tennis court; an addition that was laid out by the Kelliher family. They resided there from the early 1920s until the 1950s when the family moved to Listowel soon after Maurice stepped down from the family firm. Prior to the family moving to Listowel, Eddie met Doreen (née O’Sullivan), a Valentia native, in 1940, whom he would eventually marry five years later on 16 August 1945. The couple had three sons, Desmond, Malcolm and St John; and six daughters; Christine, Laura, Brenda, Judith, Felicity and Genevieve. Two of Kelliher's daughters, Christine and Laura, have died. However, as of his memoriam, it is noted that he is survived by his twelve grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Career in sailing
Kelliher began sailing at the age of 15 in Fenit Tralee, in an old canoe that was given to him by his uncle. After moving to Dublin in 1952, Kelliher joined the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire as a member in 1954. He was a member in the Royal Irish for over 62 years. He spent most of his sailing career here.
In 1961 Kelliher competed in the Edinburgh Cup Competition on the Firth of Clyde. Kelliher's boat was the sole boat from Dun Laoghaire at the event. The boat suffered many breakages at this event, including a broken kicker strap and parted spinnaker halyard, however Kelliher's results prior to this aided his selection to go to the Olympics.
In the lead up to the Olympics, Kelliher continued to sail as a member in the Royal Irish Yacht Club. In preparation, he competed in their 1963 End Of Season race in his own Dragon keelboat named 'ysolde'. He finished first place in this event with a time of 6 hours 55 minutes and 2 seconds. 'Saphire of osyth' in 2nd position and 'verve''' in 3rd.