QuoteI never saw the shortlist - were are boxers on it?Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo
All the boxers you have listed were quality but you havent mentioned Ireland's two best boxers.
Rinty Monaghan and the best of all Jimmy McLarnin.
he wasnt born in Britain! Do you require a simple geography lesson?
Something tells me you dont understand the difference between ethnicity, nationality and citizenship.
I never saw the shortlist - were are boxers on it?
All the boxers you have listed were quality but you havent mentioned Ireland's two best boxers.
Rinty Monaghan and the best of all Jimmy McLarnin.
Trainers have much more of an influence than jockeys.
"Active involvement in sport"? Would you give the same title to Alex Ferguson, Declan Kidney etc?
Pat Jennings represented a different country, whereas Gibson and Kyle were playing for the rugby team that represents Ireland.
I think Mike McCallum might have had something to say about that!
Err..........but George Best came fourth in the list.
behind Jennings, Gibson and Kyle??
You obviously haven't been watching any rugby for the past decade. O'Driscoll has been the single most influencial factor in the growth and popularity of the sport in Ireland. His success this year is merely the crowning glory on what's been a great career. A legend of Irish sport and his 2nd place on the list is well deserved.
Harrington.
Sorry my mistake, the Uk
disagreemunster rugby in particular and irish national team have been more influencial in the growth of irish rugby in the past decade and lets be honest it was munster rugby that really kick started the intrest / new fans to promote rugby . o'driscoll is a great player but he has been carried forward due to rugby's recent success and popularity which owes alot to other teams /players putting in the hard work over the last decade when rugby was not so popular
" football is a simple game "
apologies i take it all back ... sorry to insult all ye decent / common people who follow soccer / rugby / gaa...If horse racing is such a great sport and the Aintree Grand National is such a big event, why do those people (who you refer to as "nearly everybody in Ireland") need to have "a little bet" to enjoy the sport? In most other sports, people are happy just to spectate. Horse racing is more of an industry than a sport. The difference between horse racing and sports such as rugby / soccer / hurling is that those team sports involve athletes playing with skill and putting their bodies on the line, whereas jockeys are passengers on an animal for the benefit of an audience that is primarily comprised of gamblers, snobs, and political hacks (the Galway Races being a case in point).
The day our greatest sports person comes from the horse racing industry will be a sad day for Irish sport.so lets look soccer / rugby / gaa no gamblers, snobs , political hacks , ah yes that is so funny the gaa rife with politics and politicians fighting to attend all-irelands and a sport that threatens to ban players if they play soccer !!!.. next the wonderfull rugby the most snobbish of sports going and as for soccer full of gamblers ,posers ,etc and politicians will jump on any bandwagon to promote themselves ...
" football is a simple game "
Bennocelt - you seem to be mixing up Irishsports person with Irishcitizensports person. The vote was for the former category. The people in the 6 counties are both Irish and are from the UK. The two are not mutally exclusive.
Harrington won which I suppose was deserved. Joey Dunlop was one of the big surprises for me as I don't follow motorcycling. He came in No. 3 which apparently was the number on his bike.
There was an interesting comment about Roy Keane. If there was a vote for the most unpopular Irish sportsperson, he'd also be in the top 5!
Interesting programme.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
If we are including people from up north then surely Best would have to be would have to be number one?
Good to see Joey Dunlop in the top ten - he was a legend
Through all the debate and obscure offerings not one person has mentioned one of THE most successful Irish exports of all time and a man who was so desperate to have an Irish team in the Winter Olympics that he offered $1million (US) a year to the Irish Government (Sports) to set up a scouting and development programme for his sport. It was to run for 10 years by which time it was expected to have not only a home grown league in operation, but an Irish team in the top level of the sport.
Owen Nolan moved from Belfast when he was less than a year old and grew up in Canada. He won an Olympic Gold for his adopted country in 2002 and in a 2007 interview with Hockey Illustrated said that his single biggest regret was that he never got to play for Ireland and lead an Irish team to a World, European or Olympic medal.
I had the pleasure of meeting again with Owen in 2004 during the NHL lockout and we spoke about how things might have been. He, along with a number of Irish Canadians, approached the Irish government in the late 90's about investing in the sport in Ireland. Eircom Park was of massive interest to them as was the independent development of a multi-function sports "arena" just outside Dublin, actually I think it was in Kildare. They actually went so far as to speak with the UK Ice Hockey chiefs about a franchise and had a hand on it, until suddenly Bertie did an about face, costing them quite a bit of money in deposits, and both Eircom Park and the Weston Arena went belly up.
Nolan isn't the greatest player ever to have strapped on skates, but even at 37 is feared and respected in the game. He's played over 1,000 NHL games and was considered the unluckiest player ever (having gone first in the draft to Quebec) to be traded from the new club, Colorado, the year they went and won the Stanley Cup!
Then again, there are some who'll say he isn't Irish as he was born in the 6 counties, and others who'll say he's Canadian.
Owen Nolan is one of the most famous Irish-Canadians over here - when people find out im irish they generally mention Nolan. Ive seen him on tv since and hes a good player, tough as sh!t. I had never heard of him before nor his efforts in getting an Irish team to the winter olympics but to be honest, greatest Irish sportsperson? I dont think so.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
Thanks, that was really interesting. I know Belfast had an ice hockey team (the Giants?). Was there not a putative team in Dublin (or two)? I think I recall one based at the old ice rink in Phibsboro (a Des Kelly showroom the last time I was by it).
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
SkStu, he's one of the most feared players in the league and never met a fight he didn't like. He wasn't an enforcer, but was a tough as nails goalscorer who actually had more ability than he used. He might not be the greatest Irish sportsperson, but he deserves to be in the top 10. He won an Olympic gold, excelled at a sport that has global appeal and in which he was a late starter, and has had longevity and success.
Bluebeard, there used to be a half decent league in Ireland (there is again with Dundalk the epicentre) and some quite good players played here. Dundonald, Dolphins Barn and Phibsboro were the main spots, Phibsboro being the last one open, and no fewer than 4 Olympic Gold medallists (ex-USSR) suited up for Dublin teams. The lads were well into their 30's but were living in Dublin in the mid-late 90's. One of them, a Belarussian, coached one side and saw a great chance for Ireland to develop, but Belfast stole the thunder for ice hockey and forced the league and teams out of existence (then).
I always wondered what would have happened had the Irish government embraced a couple of big US/Global sports to give Ireland a greater chance of sporting success, and allow a few dollars roll in. I know that a full Irish team (from Irish-born to Irish grandparents) could have been fielded with only NHL players (well, a couple of minor leaguers to make up the panel) that would have given anyone a run for their money. Players like Brendan Shanahan (Irish parents and one of the all-time greats, Olympic Gold, Stanley Cups etc), Paul Coffey (Hall of Famer), JP Murphy (no.1 draft pick) and Jim Carey (top keeper).
so greatest sportsperson of all time is only based on sports you like..
would not have o driscoll anywere near it ( media hype ) what about keith woods i am not a big rugby fan but used to love watching him play.. personally i think that people involved in horse racing particulary jockeys do not get enough credit/ praise they do it for very liitle money loads of injurys and yet still come back with desire to win..
my vote would be for george best and ronnie delaneyI know this vote is over, but I read the thread just to see some opinions on it. Most of which have been intelligent (barring the UK, Irish stuff) but Old Git are you being serious? Brian O'Driscoll is widely rated as one of the best players not only in the world now but as one of the greatest players ever to play the game. To suggest it is media hype is just daft, he, and to a lesser extent, Johnny Wilkinson are the only players from the northern hemisphere that the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks would openly admit to wanting on their sides, the emergence of Dan Carter and decline of Wilkinson has lessened their appreciation of the Englishman. O'Driscoll continues to perform at the very highest level and is still the player opposition fear and admire most. I agree Keith wood was fantastic, I also agree that Rugby is a team sport but when O'Driscoll emerged we were a very ordinary side, he inspired confidence in the players around him, Hickey (who had an awful start to his career) Horgan O'Gara and Stringer all blossomed because they knew O'Driscoll was in the same backline as them not to mention the turnaround in Rob Henderson. Wood's only fault was that he tried to do it all himself, he did not inspire the same confidence in those around him as O'Driscoll does, thats why Wood never won a Heineken Cup or a Grand slam, he was a good player and a good leader. O'Driscoll is a great player and a great leader media or no media. This is one of those rare occasions where I will say the player carried the team forward, not the other way around. Leinster have been average for years, O'Driscoll is the inspiration for their brilliant young players Sexton, Fitzgerald and Carney, all will admit that, without O'Driscoll to idolise they would probably be playing other sports. O'Driscoll is the reason coaches and players want to go to Leinster, they know once they have him in the side, anything is possible.He is the player that has been putting in the hard yards while rugby was unpopular. Players are attracted to Munster because of Thomond Park, the history of the club and its fantastic success, their marquee players don't have a patch on O'Driscoll (BTW I say all this as a munster fan) In fact O'Driscoll is such an important figure that the new Melbourne super 16 Francise is belived to be prepared to offer him $1m for one season after the word cup in 2011 when he will be 33 and coming to the end of his career. I know you said you are not a big rugby fan but surely you can't really believe he is all hype?disagree
He deserved 2nd only because rugby is not as globally popular as golf.
Last edited by SilkCut; 13/01/2010 at 2:40 AM.
Help something bit me!!!
If there is one thing I have learned from foot.ie, it is that nothing is ever "over" for everyone. No vote, no game, no competition, no season, no career, is ever over. And no thread is ever EVER over.
Unless it is about the Clare Junior League, which is of course a different matter...
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
the clare junior league thread will never finish
" football is a simple game "
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