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O’Byrne Ernestine

Ernestine O’Byrne
Sport: Basketball
Year Inducted: 1986

Ernestine O’Byrne was the ultimate in a team player, a play maker, who set up others to score. She is the daughter of Mrs. Joseph O’Byrne and she has two brothers, Herman and Daniel, and three sisters, Florentine, Jennie, and Beatrice.

Ernestine O’Byrne was a small, but dynamic member of the OCOT Golds who won the Dominion Intermediate Ladies Basketball Championship in 1949. She was quick and fast and one of the real leaders of this Great Cornwall team.

She started her athletic career in 1940 in the OCOT programs run by Joe St. Denis. It led her through the following softball and basketball Championship teams:

*1945 – OCOT Cornwall Ladies Softball League Champions

*1946 – OCOT Cornwall Ladies City League Basketball Champions

*1947 – OCOT Ottawa & District Intermediate Ladies Basketball Champions

*1948 – OCOT Ottawa & District Intermediate Ladies Basketball Champions

*1949 – OCOT Canadian Amateur Basketball Association Intermediate Ladies Champions.

Ernestine was also involved actively in the ladies softball programs of the 1940’s.

In February, 1951, Ernestine O’Byrne joined the order of the precious blood in Alexandria as Sister Mary Benedicta.