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Early Life

Patrick Joseph Duffy was born 15 April 1921 at the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin. Duffy was educated by the Irish Christian Brothers at Scoil Mhuire Boys in Marino and then later O’Connell School in North Richmond Street in Dublin.

He joined the Irish Defence Force during The Emergency. It was there at the Military College in the Curragh where he was introduced to fencing in 1946. After his time in the Irish Army he studied medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland. He was a versatile sportsman playing Hurling and Gaelic football as a member of St. Vincent’s GAA Club

Later life

In his later life after his Olympic and fencing career was over, Duffy began to coach. Duffy coached the Irish Fencing Team at four successive Olympics from 1960 to 1972. and also the Finnish national team from 1959-60. Although he had a very decorated career as a fencer, it will be as a coach and mentor to others that Duffy will be primarily remembered for.

Along with Rev. Fr. O’Doherty, he coached the UCD Fencing Club to become contenders in the Irish fencing world. However, as the maitre d’armes for The Dublin University Fencing Club (1952-87) he had far more success than at UCD, to the extent that the team dominated inter-varsity fencing for many years. Duffy’s colleagues and students at DUFC would attribute most of their success to his dedication as a coach and mentor.

He ran a successful salle d’armes for many years with his wife Shirley Armstrong in Sandymount, Dublin 4. It was here in 1952 that he set up the Irish Academy of Arms which is the professional body in Ireland for the registration, regulation and training of Fencing Masters.

Death

Patrick J. Duffy died on the 18th of October 1987 in Dublin. He is buried at Mount Jerome Cemetery at Harold’s Cross on the south side of Dublin. He left behind a fantastic legacy in Irish Fencing which was carried on by his wife Shirley Armstrong.