Born in 1879 at Cook's Hill, Newcastle, New South Wales he played rugby for the Norwood and Carlton clubs usually as a backrower and at times at fly-half.

That trophy is currently held at the Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A cablegram from J.J.Giltinan offering the prospects of a Tour to Great Britain as a member of the pioneer Kangaroo rugby league side lured him back to Australia.

On return to Australia after spending the last three years in New Zealand Walsh played his first rugby league match for Queensland against New South Wales.

He played for the Newcastle club in the 1908 New South Wales Rugby Football League season.

J.J.Giltinan 'Considered him the Finest Forward in the Northern Union'(Huddersfield rugby News.10 April 1909) On his return to Australia in 1911 he played for Central in the Newcastle Rugby League Competition and captained the Combined Newcastle & Hunter side which toured Queensland.

Pat Walsh enlisted in the AIF during the Great War and served with the 12th Light Horse at Gallipoli and in Egypt and Palestine.

He was mentioned in despatches by General Allenby for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty during the Palestine campaign where he served as a member of the Australian Railway Construction unit.