Fighting Irish Exhibition
March 4, 2012
Fighting Irish: Celebrating Celtic Prizefighters 1820-Present
Role: International Producer
One of the highlights of Limerick European City of Sport celebrations in 2011, Fighting Irish features as its central piece, the late, great Irish fighter Dan Donnelly’s mummified right arm and an array of robes, gloves, boxing bags, prints, photographs, paintings, and film footage of Celtic prize-fighters from 1820 to the present day. Intriguing objects on display will include pieces from sporting greats such as John L. Sullivan, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Barry McGuigan, Freddie Gilroy, Bobby Cassidy, Gerry Cooney, Billy Graham, Billy Conn, John Duddy, Maureen Shea, Steve Collins, Andy Lee, and many more. Ballymena-born 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 unique and widespread appeal of this exhibition can be seen by it’s travels throughout America and Ireland. Beginning in New York City at the Irish Center and Southside Seaport Museum, it then migrated north to Boston College. Following this, the exhibition was brought across the Atlantic to Ireland. It was shown at the University of Limerick, the Gaelic Athletic Association Headquarters in Croke Park in Dublin and at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, County Tyrone.
The mummified right arm of Dan Donnelly
Here are some of the testimonies to the enduring popularity of this exhibition:
“The Fighting Irishmen exhibit was one of the most popular exhibits ever hosted by the Burns Library at Boston College. What made it especially gratifying to me was to see so many people visit Burns who might never have associated a rare books and special collections library with a sports theme. We added a New England touch to the exhibit, and this made it even more popular with visitors. The exhibit offered something for everyone, and visitors were effusive in their praise. I cannot thank enough Turlough McConnell of “Irish America Magazine,” who brought this exhibit to my attention, and exhibit creator and curator Jim Houlihan, who made it all possible and who has worked tirelessly and unselfishly to keep the exhibit alive. I wish to thank also the good people at the New York Irish Arts Center for their splendid cooperation and support.”
– Dr. Robert O’Neill, Burns Librarian, Boston College
Bare-Knuckle Fight Re-creation in Omagh, refereed by Barry McGuigan
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