Biography
Judge Patrick J. Fogarty was born in Kyle, in the parish of Killea, at the foot of Devil’s Bit Mountain in Co. Tipperary, Ireland on 7th July 1892. In 1913 he emigrated, aged 21 to Canada, along with 5 of his brothers (he was one of a family of 11, with one sister and nine brothers). While there he enrolled in Ottawa University Prep School, where he soon became interested in American Football, and learned to handle the ball with his Gaelic Football skills.
Working by night and studying by day, he excelled and won the Canadian Football Championship with an Ottawa Selected Team in 1914. In 1915 he gained a Scholarship to study and play Football at the famous Villanova University in Pennsylvania, USA, where he played 3 years and studied law. He was a member of the 1915 team that played West Point (the Army Academy) which included Dwight D. Eisenhower, later a famous Army General during World War II and then United States President.
In 1917 he transfered to Fordham University in New York, and then enlisted in the Navy in 1918 when USA entered the First World War. Upon arriving back in USA after the war he finished his law degree in 1921 and started practice in New York. That year he also became involved in the Tipperary Association, and was elected the Association’s President in 1926. He married New York-by-way-of-Kerry girl, Helen O’Meara, and ran unsuccessfully for Municipal Court Judge in Bronx County in 1935.
This entry into the political field resulted in elected to the Assembly two years later, as a member of the New York State Legislature. He was re-elected five times, and served a total of 10 years in the State Capital, Albany. He was appointed Family Court Judge in 1947 by William O’Dwyer and in 1957 re-elected. In 1962 he retired having reached the mandatory age of 70. He was known as a just, fair and humane Judge who based his judgements on the 10 Commandments. The Fogarty’s had six children.
College Football Record
| Year | College | W | L | T | Notes |
| 1914 | Ottawa Selected Team (ONT) | Canadian Champions | |||
| 1915 | Villanova University (PA) | 6 | 1 | 0 | Patrick Reagan was Captain |
| 1916 | Villanova University (PA) | 1 | 8 | 0 | F. Leo Lynch was Captain |
| 1917 | Fordham University (NY) |
REFERENCES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] National Football League (2014) “Past Standings 1970-1975” 2014 NFL Record & Fact Book. pp. 391-395.
Media Guides
Villanova University Media Guide 2019 (2019) Coaches and Captains [Internet] Available from:https://publications.provationsgroup.org/publications/VUFB19/#page=136 [Accessed 15 July 2021]
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
[2] Anon. (1970) “Tipperaryman’s Colourful Career: The Life of Judge P. Fogarty of Killea” Tipperary Star, Saturday, April 18, 1970. pg. 11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 15 July 2021
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2021
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