Jack Peterson

At the 1908 London Olympics Jack Peterson missed Ireland’s opening game when his brother Walter’s full-back partner in the 3-1 win over Wales was Dublin University student Henry Brown. In the final against England, however, Jack partnered Walter as England ran out 8-1 winners. The siblings collected a silver medal.

Peterson was one of six brothers who played hockey for Ireland and won 66 caps between them. Like his siblings, he was educated at Avoca School (now Newpark Comprehensive School) in Blackrock, and it was there that he started playing hockey. He went on to play for Old Avoca, and Palmerstown, as well as winning representative honours with Leinster. Jack, and four of his brothers, were in the Ireland team that won the Triple Crown for the first time in 1904.

After moving to Palmerstown in 1899, Jack was part of the side that enjoyed phenomenal success. In the six seasons between 1900-05 they lost just two of 160 matches played, and lifted the Irish Senior Cup four times (1899, 1903-05). When the club disbanded in 1907, he joined Monkstown Hockey Club and he won two more Senior Cups, in 1910 and 1914. In total he won 20 Ireland caps between 1901-14, bowing out in the 2-2 draw with England at Bourneville. It was the first ever match England had failed to win on home soil.