Barney Kieran had a brief and brilliant career as a competitive swimmer in the years 1904-1905. In that short time he swam world record times in every distance from 200 yards to 1 mile.
His induction citation at the International Swimming Hall of Fame explains his dominance during that brief period:
"Had he lived to swim in the 1906 and 1908 and 1912 Olympics, there is little doubt but that Barney Kieran should have won more swimming gold medals than any Olympian before or since."
In 1986 he was also inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Although Barney Kieran has little fame these days, he is being honoured this year with a tribute by the New South Wales State Archives.
He died at 19 years of age after an appendix operation. Beloved by the public, a public subscription was raised to create a monument to be rasied over his grave in Gore Hill Cemetery.
It is generally better kept and tidier than most graves in the cemetery.
Here's the close view of the inscription. The memorial was paid for by public subscription.
Photos by Bob Meade.
There is also a pretty good Sports Illustrated story from 1985: Australia Had A Wondrous SwimmerIn The Star-crossed Barney Kieran.
Barney's brother, Joseph Patrick Kieran died in 1933 and is also buried at Gore Hill Cemetery. However in the burial records of Gore Hill Cemetery he appears under the name of Joseph Francis Kieran - and also appears to be intered in the same or a contiguous plot as Barney.
A further check of records show that Patrick John CONLON is also buried in the plot. Barney's father was Patrick Kieran, however after Patrick Kieran's death it appears his mother married Matthew Conlon.
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