
The mad story of the Kerryman who brought Muhammad Ali to Ireland
9 May - 45 minsPicture the scene – its 1972, Ireland is a very different place to what it is today, the country is very monocultural and feels isolated out on the periphery of Europe. Its all a bit grey. Enter from stage left, one of the most interesting, charismatic and successful sports stars in the world – the great Muhammad Ali – and he’s here to fight in Croke park stadium.
The story of how all of this came about has fascinated me for years. It involves the world’s greatest sportsman, a pretty questionable Kerry-born circus strongman, and an Ireland that is almost unrecognisable to the Ireland of today.
Journalist and history lecturer Dave Hannigan is the man who decided to bring this story to...