Plaque unveiled in honour of Tour De France cyclist Shay Elliott

Dublin City Council has unveiled a plaque in honour of Crumlin man Shay Elliott, who made history this week in 1963 when he became the first Irish person to win a stage in Tour De France.

Elliott, who was born in Crumlin in 1934 and served an apprenticeship as a panel beater, became a professional cyclist in 1956 and competed in a number of cycling tournaments such as World Road Race Championship, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España before his shining moment at the 1963 Tour De France.

On 25 June 1963, Elliott won the third stage of the Tour de France, taking the overall lead and wearing the ‘maillot jaune’ for three days.  

Elliott’s exploits wouldn’t be repeated for another 20 years, when Sean Kelly became only the second Irish person to wear the coveted Yellow Jersey.

Elliot’s life off the road proved to be just as eventful, with the cyclist sinking life savings in opening a hotel in Brittany.

It haemorrhaged money and his marriage failed as a result – faced with bankruptcy he returned to Ireland leaving his wife and son behind.  

Elliott passed away in 1971, with the exact circumstances of his death remaining unsolved.

Speaking at the unveiling at Elliott’s childhood home at 96 Old County Road, Crumlin, Councillor Carolynn Moore, deputising for the Lord Mayor, said, “Shay Elliott, born and reared in Crumlin in 1934, blazed a trail for Irish cyclists when he turned professional on the Continent at the age of 21. His determination and abilities as a cyclist were matched by his sense of loyalty as a teammate, and his unfortunate death cannot overshadow all he achieved in his relatively short career. I congratulate all involved in ensuring that Dubliner Shay Elliott is now commemorated in his own Crumlin community”. 

Also speaking at the event was sports journalist and former professional cyclist Paul Kimmage, who said, “In January of 1955, Shay Elliott left his home on Old County Road in Crumlin and boarded the ferry to Holyhead. He caught a train to London, a boat to France, and several trains to Monte Carlo for a training camp with some of the best amateur racing cyclists in Europe. This was how it started. Base camp. He would become the first Irishman to ride the Tour de France, the first to win a stage and the first to wear the coveted ‘maillot jaune.’ That doesn’t make him Edmund Hillary, and he was not Tom Crean, but that’s how I think of him. The pioneer. Our great adventurer. The man who planted the flag on the summit of our dreams.” 

The decision to erect the plaque was made by the Dublin City Council Commemorations & Naming Committee, whose chair, Councillor Micheál Mac Donncha, said, “The Commemorative Plaques Scheme allows the City to formally commemorate people who have made a significant contribution to the life of Dublin. We welcome suggestions from the public for people and events to be commemorated, and full details are on the Council website.”