Keher, far right, with Ali (Credit: When Ali Came to Ireland)
HE’S ONE OF hurling’s all-time greats but Kilkenny legend Eddie Keher says he was “starstruck and spellbound” when he Muhammad Ali walked into the room.
The two met when Ali was in Ireland ahead of his Croke Park fight against Al ‘Blue’ Lewis in 1972.
Keher, who won six All-Ireland titles with Kilkenny including one as captain, was the man chosen to teach ‘The Greatest’ how to hurl.
“He was using the hurley like a tennis racket,” Keher recalls in When Ali Came to Ireland, the IFTA-winning documentary.
“He spent ages trying to rise the ball and that. We had good fun.”
Here’s the clip of Ali, who has passed away at the age of 74:
The clip above is taken from the IFTA-winning When Ali Came to Ireland. More info here.
A version of this piece was originally published on 10 October, 2013.
I agree it looks and sounds bad but not sure you can banish him off panel for it, she’s as much to blame.
It doesn’t say anywhere in the article that his youtube video has anything to do with him being dropped from the panel. It just mentions he has other talents.
If players get dropped off the panel over a video like that then the GAA needs to seriously look at the expectation of amateur players. What next, laughing bans?
Aideen and john, get a dictionary and look up the meaning of the word “sarcasm”
I was just making a general point rather than responding to any of the points above
Davy has lost the team
Davy is going to save a fortune on Mi Wadi and biscuits
Everyone is writing them boys off, so they are. But I know what them boys are like. So I do.
It’s a disaster now cold Galvin is off as well 3 of them gone playing football, it’s not looking good, he’s obviously lost the dressing room, but judge him after this year, it would be such a shame to waste that amount of talent
Simple answer, bring back Kinnerk! And if need be oust Fitz
When words like United and tight bunch get bandied about you just know trouble is not far away. I hope I’m wrong . Come on the banner
Clare people would want to get a grip of themselves. 2013 was a freak year, how many all irelands are won by beating laois galway limerick and cork.
Or rather not tipp or kk? I’ve the height of respect for a talented bunch of hurlers, but my god the rubbish hand passing puke hurling they are being made play is Sh**
It’s evident in their body language that they don’t like it, and also evident that it does not work. Clare should be going man for man and playing the style of hurling that goes out to win. They haven’t won a game in a full year..The manager is a divisive figure and obviously did not have his work appraised sufficiently because not winning a game in a year is marching orders for me.
If the Clare people were honest about it, he is not the man to lead them. Sparrow built that team. Now get are demoralised by a garbage style of hurling and rubbish management. Lads have already jumped ship, not because they don’t want to hurl, it’s because they don’t want to hurl under current management.
Il agree with you to a point. Management don’t look good no, but 2013 was no freak year or was it a fluke. Limerick took care of Tipp and Dublin took out Kk. Both heavyweights played out a thriller in nowlan pk in the qualifiers where Kk came out the stronger after a terrific contest. Cork took Kk out of the championship after that. Clare beat Munster champs limerick in the semi’s and went onto an epic win over cork in the final. By no means was it freak! It just happened to be a different year to the hurling calendar and a welcome change to who we usually see. And mark my words clare will be there or there abouts again this year. Iv 100% belief and faith that those young guys got many more all Ireland’s left in the tank to win. An Clár abu!
Kinnerk leaving was liking a head falling off and leaving the b*llocks to make the decisions!