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The eclectic Fighting Irishmen touring exhibit of boxing artifacts and photographs, which is highlighted by an iconic Muhammed Ali autographed glove and trunks from the Al Blue Lewis Fight in Dublin, debuts today, Tuesday, May 18, at the GAA Museum, Croke Park (Dublin, Ireland).
The exhibition is entitled The Fighting Irishmen: Celebrating Celtic Prizefighters 1820 to Present, and tells the story of Irish emigration and assimilation to eventual success and world wide acclaim through the sport of boxing.
Curated by Jim Houlihan, the exhibition will be on display in Croke Park from Tuesday 18 May through Tuesday 31 August, in association with the Irish Arts Center in New York.
Perhaps the most unique item in the exhibition is the late, great Irish fighter Dan Donnelly’s mummified right arm. Actor Liam Neeson, Honorary Chair and long-time supporter of the Irish Arts Center, has also loaned personal items from his amateur boxing career to the exhibit, including the gloves given to him by Olympic boxer Freddie Gilroy.
The exhibition offers all visitors, and boxing enthusiasts alike, a unique glimpse at the role that prize-fighting played in the history of Irish America and Ireland; it features an array of robes, gloves, boxing bags, prints, photographs, paintings and film footage of Celtic prizefighters from 1820 to the present day.
A drawing of Pittsburgh Steelers patriarch Art Rooney Sr., depicting his days as an amateur fighter, is included in the exhibition. It’s plaque states: “Art Rooney Sr. was born to Irish immigrant parents and, during his life, became on of the most preeminent Irish American sportsmen of his time. The Rooney family is synonymous with the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and sports. Art Rooney Sr. is the founding father of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have won a record 6 Super Bowl championships in professional football in the United States.
“Additionally, Art was a partner in the Rooney-McGinley Boxing Club, which promoted almost all the big fights in Pittsburgh from the 1930’s through the 1950’s. They promoted many of Billy Conn’s fights and also promoted the Heavyweight Championship fight on July 18th, 1951 at Forbes Field, where Jersey Joe Walcott knocked out Ezzard Charles to win the Heavyweight Championship at the age of 37.”
Intriguing objects on display include pieces from sporting greats such as John L. Sullivan, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Barry McGuigan, Freddie Gilroy, Bobby Cassidy, Gerry Cooney, Wayne McCullough, Billy Conn, John Duddy, Bernard Dunne and many more.
The exhibition includes the Olympic medals won by Michael Carruth, Kenny Egan and Wayne McCullough as well as the European and World Medals won by Katie Taylor.
Finally, given the connection between Croke Park and Muhammad Ali, who famously fought Al Blue Lewis at the venue in 1972, it is fitting that the exhibition includes a signed glove and shorts worn by Ali that night.
Speaking ahead of the exhibition opening, Barry McGuigan said, “This exhibition is truly unique and is one of a kind. Prize-fighting played a huge part in the history of Irish Americans and their story of settlement in the US, and boxing has brought much success to Irish Sport, so it’s great to see this wonderful homage to Irish Sport being remembered in Croke Park.”
Jim Houlihan echoed his sentiments and said, “The exhibition has already proved popular with audiences in New York and Boston, and it also showed, to much acclaim, at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh last year. Croke Park is such an ideal venue to host an exhibition of this sort, and I’d encourage all visitors to the stadium over the course of the summer, to check it out.
“Some items worth seeing include a signed Muhammad Ali glove and his shorts from the famous fight night against Al Blue Lewis, which took place in Croke Park in 1972, whilst Michael Carruth’s Olympic Gold medal from 1992 will also be on show,” he stated.
