Brother Colm O'Connell is an Irish missionary and athletics coach, known as "the Godfather of Kenyan running". O'Connell is originally from Caherduggan,

Mallow, County Cork Mallow (; ) is a town in County Cork, Ireland, approximately thirty-five kilometres north of Cork. Mallow is in the barony of Fermoy. It is the administrative centre of north County Cork, and the Northern Divisional Offices of Cork County Coun ...

. He joined the

Patrician Brothers The Patrician Brothers officially named Brothers of Saint Patrick ( la, Congregatio Fratrum a Sancto Patricio), abbreviated F.S.P. is a Catholic lay religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men founded for the religious and literary educa ...

at the age of 14, training in Tullow, County Carlow, and went on to study at National University of Ireland in Galway, formerly

University College Galway The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...

. He spent two years in Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge before departing Ireland for the

Great Rift Valley The Great Rift Valley is a series of contiguous geographic trenches, approximately in total length, that runs from Lebanon in Asia to Mozambique in Southeast Africa. While the name continues in some usages, it is rarely used in geology as it ...

in Kenya in 1976 to teach geography at St. Patrick's High School in Iten, Keiyo District, Rift Valley Province in Kenya. He came to Iten expecting to stay just three months. He has lived in Iten ever since. Despite having no coaching background, he began helping aspiring young athletes and he took over training athletes from Peter Foster, brother of British runner Brendan Foster. Today, he has 120 training camps and is known as "the Godfather of Kenyan running". His work with the youth has included

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

training. Twenty five of his students have gone on to become world champions, and four have won Olympic gold medals. His students include

Edna Kiplagat Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat (born 15 November 1979) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She was the 2011 and 2013 World Champion in the marathon. She established herself as an elite marathon runner with wins at the Los Angeles and N ...

, Florence Kiplagat,

Lornah Kiplagat Lornah Kiplagat (born 1 May 1974) is a Dutch professional long-distance runner. She was born in Kabiemit, Rift Valley Province, Kenya and came to the Netherlands in 1999. She gained Dutch citizenship in 2003 and has competed for the Netherlan ...

, Linet Masai, Mary Keitany, Ibrahim Kipkemboi Hussein,

Peter Rono Peter Kipchumba Rono (born 31 July 1967) is a former Kenyan athlete, who won the 1,500 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Career Born in Kamobo village, near Kapsabet, Rono won the gold medal at the Africa Cross Country Championships i ...

, Matthew Birir, Sammy Tirop, Haron Lagat, Janeth Jepkosgei,

Viola Kibiwott Viola Jelagat Kibiwot (born 22 December 1983 in Keiyo District) is a runner from Kenya who specialises in the 1500 metres. Kibiwot won her first international medal as a junior runner at the 2000 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where s ...

, Brimin Kipruto, Joseph Tengelei,

Isaac Songok Isaac Kiprono Songok (born 25 April 1984 in Kaptel, Nandi District) is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He went St. Patrick's High School in Iten, famous for producing runners. In 2001 he set a new 2000 m World Junior Record (4:56.86) in Berlin ...

, Wilson Boit,

Vivian Cheruiyot Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (born 11 September 1983) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in track and cross country running. She represented Kenya at the Summer Olympics in 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2016, winning a silver medal at the 5 ...

, Michael Kipyego, Augustine Kiprono Choge,

Wilson Kipketer Wilson Kosgei Kipketer (born 12 December 1972) is a Danish former middle distance runner. He is the second fastest of all time over 800 meters, setting the world record and breaking his own record two more times all in 1997. He dominated the ...

and

David Rudisha David Lekuta Rudisha, MBS (born 17 December 1988) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specialized in the 800 metres. He is a two-time back-to-back Olympic champion from the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, a two-time World champion from t ...

. O'Connell is credited in starting the influx of female athletes to Iten in the early 1990s when he trained and hosted World Champion Sally Barsosio, Rose Cheruiyot and world junior champion Lydia Cheromei. In 2001, O'Connell was awarded an honorary MA from

NUI Galway The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...

for his services to Africa and to Athletics. Credit to his work as a coach is covered in "the 'Man on a Mission' - O'Connell and the rise of Kenyan Athletics" by Jamie D'Alton and Anne McLoughlin documentary. The documentary ''Man on a Mission'' was presented by Irish former athlete, and now senator, Eamon Coghlan. In 2012, O'Connell was awarded an honorary doctorate by

Dublin City University Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) ( ga, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a university based on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Created as the ''National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin'' in 1975, it enrolled its ...

. Olympic and World Champion David Rudisha joined him on the trip to Ireland, visiting Galway, Mallow and Newbridge.Bro. Colm O'Connell
DCU Presidents Office.Bro. Colm O'Connell given Honorary Doctorate by DCU
www.rte.ie O'Connell was awarded an Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Arts, Culture & Sport in 2021.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:OConnell, Colm Living people Irish athletics coaches Athletics in Kenya Sportspeople from County Cork Alumni of the University of Galway Year of birth missing (living people) Irish Christian monks