Paddy Bermingham

Who is Paddy Bermingham?

Patrick "Paddy" J. Bermingham was an Irish police officer and sportsman, specialising in the discus. He was from County Clare and joined the Dublin Metropolitan Police, which in 1925 merged into the Garda Síochána.

Bermingham won ten Irish national discus titles: IAAA titles in 1919 and 1920, and NACAI titles in 1923–4–5–6–7, 1930, 1932, and 1933. He held the Irish record at 151 ft 6 1⁄2 in until 1939. He won five English AAA discus titles: 1924–5–6, 1932, and 1934. He also won four Irish titles in each of the 56 lbs weight throw events: for height and for distance. He represented Ireland at the Olympics in 1924, but was eliminated in the qualifying round of the discus competition; his longest throw would have qualified for the final six but was discounted as a foul. His best mark of 40.42 metres ranked him eleventh overall. He is recorded as having competed in the 1934 British Empire Games, though sources vary as to whether he represented the Irish Free State or Northern Ireland. He finished outside the top seven.

Bermingham also played once for the Irish Free State national football team, in 1934.