Bill Jackson

Bill Jackson was a native of Castlerea, Roscommon and was an active player in inter-county football, playing for Roscommon in the 1940s including on the 1943 and 1944 All-Ireland title winning teams. He moved to Athlone as a member of the Irish Defence Forces and was stationed with Western Command at Custume Barracks when he was selected as a member of the Irish basketball team for the 1948 London Olympics.

Jackson continued to play on the Western Command basketball team following the Olympics alongside what was termed “The Family”, which included Dermot Sheriff and Paddy Sheriff as well as non-Olympians Ned Sheehan and Turlough O’Connor who were all brothers-in-law of one another. Jackson also served two foreign expeditions with the Army in the Congo and Cyrus. Jackson retired at the rank of Sergeant in 1978 and lived the rest of his life in Athlone. His sons Jimmy, Liam and Eamonn; nephews Turlough and Padraig O’Connor, and grandson Shane were also noted football players in the League of Ireland.