Niall O'Shaughnessy

Niall O’Shaughnessy was from Kilknockan, Country Limerick, but attended college at the University of Arkansas in the United States and eventually settled in the US. He won the 1974 Southwest Conference Indoor title in the 880-yard run, and earned All-American honors for Arkansas in cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track.

His best placement at the NCAA Outdoor meet was third in the 1977 1,500 metres. In cross-country his best finish at the NCAAs was 7th in 1976. O’Shaughnessy won the 1975 Irish title at 800 metres. He was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor in 1994. O’Shaughnessy died relatively young from brain cancer, only two months before he was to be inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.

Personal Bests: 800 – 1:46.79 (1975); 1500 – 3:39.59 (1980).