THERE IS A serious lack of statues dedicated to Irish sporting greats past and present.
However, if you find yourself at a loose end this summer, get the old school map of Ireland out and plan a week-long break around the Emerald Isle to visit the best we have to offer:
Sam Maguire (Dunmanway, Cork)
A legend in Liverpool too? (Credit: ©INPHO/James Crombie)
Jack Charlton (Cork Airport)
Forget Euro 88 and the two World Cups, Big Jack was a fishing legend. (Credit: Window on Working)
Mick O’Dwyer (Waterville, Kerry)
YouTube credit: RTENewsNow
Seve Ballesteros (Heritage Golf Club, Laois)
Paul Feriather with his sculpture of Spanish golfer Ballesteros. (Credit: ©INPHO/Donall Farmer)
Christy Ring (Cloyne and Cork Airport, Cork)
Willie John Ring with the statue erected to his brother Christy. (Credit: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy)
Jack Lynch (Blackpool, Cork)
A tunnel and bench statue for Jack. (Credit: originalwriting.ie)
Galway Races (Galway)
(©INPHO/Cathal Noonan)
Sean Boylan (Dunboyne Castle, Meath)
Uncanny. (Credit: todayfm)
Payne Stewart (Waterville, Kerry)
The American golfer often visited Waterville Golf Club when warming up for the British Open. (Credit: ©INPHO/Tom Honan)
GAA footballers (Tralee, Kerry)
(Credit: Geograph.ie)
Many thanks for your suggestions — we have added some more statues…
Nicky Rackard (Wexford)
(Credit: Paul Egan)
‘Ruck and Puck’ (O’Connell St, Limerick)
(Credit: flickr)
Olympians (Nenagh, Tipperary)
Matt McGrath (hammer throw), Bob Tisdall (400 meter hurdles), and Johnny Hayes (marathon). (Credit: irelandtravelkit.com)
Sporting murals
They have Royal Mail stamps, a statue at Old Trafford and Belfast murals (below) but a statue remains in the pipeline:
Talk of a George Best statue began in Belfast in 2008. (Credit: Geograph.ie)
Jimmy’s winning matches but no statue… yet. (Credit: ©INPHO/Kieran Murray)
Are there any statues or murals we have missed?
I think the authors old school map didn’t extend far from Cork and Kerry.
My thoughts exactly!! Yet another one sided article thats meant to cover all of Ireland
Sigh!!
Exactly Dave
BTW that statue of charlton is an embarrassment.
Quit yer bellyaching.
Where is Jack Charltons statue now? Its not in the Airport anymore I dont think. Christy Ring is out the front.
Where is Jack Charltons statue now? Its not in the Airport anymore I dont think. Christy Ring is out the front.
Nickey Rackard in Wexford Town. -
Sure what about Cúchulainns statue in the GPO, a fine hurler in his day.
Ollie Walsh, the most famous goalkeeper, has a statue in his name in Thomastown, county Kilkenny.
He must have got lost in Kerry and Cork and just found most of the statues there.
There is a big difference between the greatest goalkeeper and the greatest player who ever lived, in fairness
There’s a unique sporting statue just outside the beautiful town of Dungarvan, Co Waterford. It’s dedicated to Master McGrath, a famous greyhound from the 1800′s. He won the biggest coursing competition of the time 3 times. A number of years ago it was painted red by idiotic protesters but fortunately it was restored. It’s just west of Dungarvan on the Cappoquin/Colligan/Lismore road.
Waterford have produced some great sports people , and they built a statue to a dog from the 1800′s ?
We’re waiting until Henry retires to erect his statue!
A statue of Neil Back outside Thomond Park!
I guess we will have to wait for King Henry to ‘shuffle his mortal coil’ before we erect a statue to him.
Mate how long has that been there. Between dungarvin and val currans?
Socks Byrne in drogheda. Bronze medal for Ireland in the Olympics during the 50s. Passed away last week
Hurling and rugby statue in o connell st in limerick is better than most of these.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/infomatique/5771289904/in/photostream/
Terrible” research” by this intern.
Cheers. Limerick & Wexford now included. BTW, lovely use of quotation marks.
Nice one Patrick
ah patrick, it’s a sunday morning………….
It says best lads… That’s why it’s only Cork and Kerry statues! I mean like you can’t compete with a statute of Jack Charlton holding a fish ;)
Who is the Sean boylan statue supposed to look like?
Bruce Springsteen i think
That’s just scary
The Three Olympians in Nenagh, Co Tipp ..
http://www.nenaghguardian.ie/sport-detail.php?article=ICO21A
Here’s another vote for the Nenagh Olymplians.
http://www.irelandtravelkit.com/honoring-olympians-nenagh-co-tipperary/
Although not an official statue, there is a tree stump in Ford’s Field in Mayfield that bears a striking resemblance to Roy Keane.
Forgot the one of Richard Harris playing tennis in Kilkee
You missed the lovely sculpture of Dermot Earley in Gorthaganny, Co. Roscommon.
Some others are Nicky Rachard in Wexford and Enda Colleran in Galway.
http://www.irelands-directory.com/photos.php?Image=749
Where is that Jack Charlton statue now?
It’s still in the old terminal, there were talks of moving it to the New one, but nothing has happened.
Socks Byrne the Olympic boxer in drogheda!
You overlooked the great Jackie Power statue in Annacotty, Limerick. Hurling legend.
Great statue of Michael Cusack in Croke park.
Dermot Earley Roscommon
What did Payne Stewart do to get a statue in Kerry ??!! Play the course a few times and cap his hat to the local simpletons a few times ?
The one of Declan Earley is good as well
The Hurler opposite Tesco in Birr. To comemomerat the FIRST All Ireland Hurling Final to take place in Ireland! It was a club final and it took place on the field where Tesco now sits! – I think they did pay for the statue though!
Wrestling Legend Steve ‘Crusher’ Casey in Sneem, Co. Kerry. http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6195/6070888255_ff50d62938_z.jpg
They should cut up that statue of that ff filth jack lynch, sell the scrap metal and donate the money to charity and they need to find a new name for that tunnel too.
Diarmuid,
if you were a woman i’d marry you.
union jack lynch
Jackets green,
Cheers
Statue of Maurice Davin being unveiled in his home town of Carrick on Suir in 3 weeks time
Lots of Irish domestic representation going on! Where are our international heroes?
There’s a statue to Waterford’s greatest ever hurling goal-keeper Ned Power in Tallow Co Waterford. The book about him by his son is well worth a read for any hurling fans. It’s called “my father, a hurling revolutionary” http://www.conorpower.ie
Brian Whelehan. Birr
Bobby Jo in Mount Bellew.
Not forgetting the joey and Robert Dunlop garden in ballymoney
Statue of Brother Walfrid who founded Glasgow Celtic in Ballymote, Co. Sligo
Bobby Jo ?!?! Think the town commissioned it when they had excess after paying their mortgages off
Waterford always put out 15 statues when the play at croke park
Not in 48 & 59. Deise Abu.
What about the greatest hurling goalkeeper Ollie Walsh in THomastown, CO. KIlkenny
The Limerick statue is NOT of hurlers. It is of a hurler and a rugby player!
Ok.
How about adding Louth? Two winners of international awards honoured in Drogheda: Tony “socks” Byrne and Tony Maher.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_in_Drogheda_of_Joey_Maher.jpg
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Byrne_(boxer)
There SHOULD be one of Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche, two of the most successful, internationally reknowned sports stars we’ve ever produced, instead of this statue commemorating the 1998 Tour de France. Cue naive, lazy drugs comments…..!
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/346641/kelly-unveils-sculpture-commemorating-98-tour-visit-to-enniscorthy.html
What about the three Olympians in Nenagh???
Seems to be mostly cork and kerry
Headline is wrong.
There are 12 statues pictured in this article, headline says 10.
Jackets – Did you not see, he wrote between the photos that he was adding some of the suggestions in the comments? Therefore there’s now more photos in it than there was originally! Give the fella a break will ya!!
lol derek,
headline is still wrong though.
Joey Dunlop?
the strabane tinnies in tyrone, back when they had the tyrone jerseys on them!