Crotty, Peter ('Pete') (1925–2003), boxer, called the 'Iron Man of Dungarvan ', was born 4 September 1925 at Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, the son of Peter Crotty, a labourer, and Ellen Crotty (née Dennehy; late Riordan). One of at least three brothers and a sister (as listed at his father's funeral in 1962), he attended the Convent of Mercy national school and the Christian Brothers' school, both in Dungarvan. Learning to box at the latter, Crotty initially trained alone in the Dungarvan FCA hall as the town then lacked a boxing club. Later trained by Jimmy Smith at St Mary's boxing club in Clonmel, Crotty apparently often walked or cycled the 26-mile distance to Clonmel from his home at Lackenfune, Dungarvan. Having joined the Dungarvan battalion of the FCA, he served in the Irish army (1943–5), and won a brigade boxing title (1944). Winning his first national junior welterweight title in 1949, having competed at national level since 1947, Crotty unusually competed at senior level the same year, winning his first national senior welterweight title. He retained the senior title for the next three years, monopolising the Irish welterweight division for four consecutive years (1949–52), and becoming the first man to win four consecutive national senior welterweight titles. Always walking or running to work as a docker and builder's labourer in the Dungarvan area, he undertook a rigorous training regime in the evenings. Lacking some of the finesse and technique of his opponents, Crotty had a tremendous ability to take punishment in the ring, drawing on his immense stamina and physical resilience. He was also renowned for his ability to deliver brutal blows to the body, and for a fierce right uppercut that often settled bouts in his favour. His toughness, resilience, and raw courage earned him the nickname the 'Iron Man of Dungarvan'.
Crotty was among those nominated to the European Golden Gloves team to tour America in spring 1951. His compatriot Fergus Kilmartin had outpointed him (exhibiting greater technique) in a bout to decide the nomination and was initially selected, with Crotty as welterweight reserve. Yet once Kilmartin was ruled out Crotty joined the team that departed for the United States on 21 March 1951. The Europeans lost to Chicago, the US Golden Gloves champions, and beat a Washington, DC, selection. Participating in an international bout against Italy in Dublin (November 1951), Crotty lost narrowly to Rungo Ruggeri in what was regarded as the best bout of the contest. He strengthened his reputation with a win against an English ABA selection in February 1952, and beat Herschel Acton in a return US Golden Gloves bout in Dublin (April 1952), avenging his loss to Acton in Los Angeles the previous year.
Representing Ireland at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics summer games, Crotty lost to Harry Gunnarsson of Sweden (24 July 1952). Well ahead on points as the second round commenced, Crotty had an old wound over his eye re-opened by the Swede's head. The fight was stopped on medical grounds and a technical knockout was awarded against Crotty. Controversy ensued, as the Irish team felt Gunnarsson should have been disqualified for butting with his head and that the wound inflicted was not serious enough to merit stopping the bout. This defeat effectively marked the end of Crotty's career. Undefeated in Irish boxing, he announced his retirement at age 27 in October 1952, just as Fred Tiedt (qv) became a significant welterweight force in Ireland. Crotty seems to have briefly re-entered the ring in April 1953, against a German amateur selection in Clonmel, narrowly losing to Max Resch.
Emigrating to London in 1954, Crotty worked as a scaffolder and labourer. He married Mary Miland, and later returned with her to Ireland; they had two daughters, Frances and Myra. Crotty was elected to the IABA Irish Boxing Hall of Fame (February 1993), and is second only to Tiedt in Irish welterweight boxing history. A civic presentation was made to Crotty by the mayor of Dungarvan on 25 May 2003. Days later, Crotty died 1 June 2003 in Dungarvan, where he was given a guard of honour by Clonmel and Dungarvan boxers, and was buried in St Mary's cemetery. A plaque commemorating his boxing achievements was unveiled in 2006 outside the Dungarvan museum, which as the old town hall had hosted his local bouts. In 2007 the Dungarvan boxing club's facility was named the 'Peter Crotty Iron Man Gym' after him. The Peter Crotty memorial boxing tournament is held annually in Dungarvan. The Waterford County Museum holds various images from his career. The British Pathé archive holds footage of his 1952 victory over Acton in Dublin.