# Who is (or was) the Greatest Irish Person Ever?



## mathepac (31 Jan 2009)

I did a search and I can't find a similar thread.

There are no real rules regarding the candidates, living or dead, and they can be from any walk of life - business, arts, entertainment, politics home or abroad, science, medicine, military, religious life, sport, NGO, etc.

Just list their names, achievements, sphere(s) of influence and your reasons for naming them as candidates for the title.

Some less obvious candidates might be :


 the Duke of Wellington (politics and military)
 Lord Kitchener (military)
 Robert Boyle (science)
 Ernest Shackleton (exploration)
 Davy Crockett (hats, politics, exploration and military)
 Brendan Bracken (politics)
 Walt Disney (arts and entertainment)
 Harry Fergusson (tractors)
 Henry Ford (cars)
 while the obvious ones, are well, just obvious.


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## Purple (31 Jan 2009)

Henry Ford was not Irish; he was born in Michigan, USA
Walt Disney was not Irish; he was born in Illinois, USA
Davy Crocket was not Irish; he was born in Tennessee, USA


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## rmelly (31 Jan 2009)

And please please please, nobody say osama, sorry obama. Or mary robinson.


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## mathepac (31 Jan 2009)

mathepac said:


> ...
> There are no real rules regarding the candidates, ...





Purple said:


> Henry Ford was not Irish; ...
> Walt Disney was not Irish; ...
> Davy Crocket was not Irish; ...


By all means feel free to introduce your own rules...


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## z104 (31 Jan 2009)

They get in under the grandparent rule. They could all have played for Ireland if Jack was picking this team.


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## z103 (31 Jan 2009)

> By all means feel free to introduce your own rules.


Well I suppose they actually have to be Irish. How exactly do you determine that I wonder?


How about Bertie Ahern for Ireland's economic miracle. As soon as he stepped down from being boss of Ireland, the country collapsed.


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## Caveat (31 Jan 2009)

My vote goes to Tom Crean.


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## mathepac (31 Jan 2009)

My first candidate is Ernest Walton, Nobel Laureate (1951), physicist, mathematician, acedemic, researcher, an exceptional teacher and educator. An unassuming, humble man he saw no conflict between the advancement of scientific discovery and his deeply-held religious beliefs.

A visionary, decades ahead of his time, in a letter to the Government in 1957 he wrote, "...We are today entering a new scientific era and, if we are to benefit from it, our people should not be allowed to grow up scientifically illiterate..."  stressing his belief in the importance of a firm scientific / research base upon which to build a sustainable  and prosperous industrial economy.

If only we had listened and learned instead of being seduced by sub-prime mortgages, derivative junk-bonds, cronyism and the lure of easy money. We ignored the voice of a scientific and intellectual giant and we will pay the price for years to come.


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## Purple (31 Jan 2009)

Caveat said:


> My vote goes to Tom Crean.



Yep, I'm a big Tom Crean fan as well but Rodger Casement had to be up there too (mainly for his work in The Congo with E.D. Morel).


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## Purple (31 Jan 2009)

mathepac said:


> By all means feel free to introduce your own rules...


 Sorry, if there's no rules than mine has to be Nelson Mandela.


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## Simeon (31 Jan 2009)

Purple said:


> Yep, I'm a big Tom Crean fan as well but Rodger Casement had to be up there too (mainly for his work in The ongo with E.D. Morel).


Ongo? A hitherto undiscovered land? Pray tell us Purple before Budget Holidays get there first


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## Vanilla (31 Jan 2009)

purple said:


> sorry, if there's no rules than mine has to be nelson mandela.


 

lol.:d


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## ninsaga (31 Jan 2009)

Michael Collins
Padraig Pearse
Robert Emmett
Tom Barry
Daniel O'Connell


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## Sue Ellen (31 Jan 2009)

Me


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## MOB (31 Jan 2009)

Robert Boyle must certainly be up there on any shortlist.


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## GeneralZod (31 Jan 2009)

A few that haven't been mentioned yet

Alan Brooke (military WWII) If his war diaries can be believed he stopped Churchill making potentially disastrous strategic blunders
William Rowan Hamilton (mathematician, astronomer & physicist)
Charles Stewart Parnell (politician)


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## Fingalian (31 Jan 2009)

General Michael Collins


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## RMCF (1 Feb 2009)

Bono.


I'll get my coat.


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## Purple (1 Feb 2009)

GeneralZod said:


> Alan Brooke (military WWII) If his war diaries can be believed he stopped


If there were rules Viscount Alanbrook mightn't qualify as he was born and raised in France and spend his career in England


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## GeneralZod (1 Feb 2009)

Good thing there aren't rules then.


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## rmelly (1 Feb 2009)

if there's no rules, can it be a fictional person? or even a horse?


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## S.L.F (1 Feb 2009)

rmelly said:


> if there's no rules, can it be a fictional person? or even a horse?


 
Ok then

I pick my breakfast...


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## S.L.F (1 Feb 2009)

Niallers said:


> They get in under the grandparent rule. They could all have played for Ireland if Jack was picking this team.


 
That rules Cascarino (you know big guy miising tooth) out he had as much Irish blood as a refugee centre has.


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## ninsaga (1 Feb 2009)

Dr Noel Brown


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## rmelly (1 Feb 2009)

I had a nice piece of cheese yesterday - is it eligible...


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## DavyJones (1 Feb 2009)

Sue Ellen said:


> Me




I second this, and by my count, that puts Sue Ellen in the lead


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## Vanilla (1 Feb 2009)

rmelly said:


> I had a nice piece of cheese yesterday - is it eligible...


 
Now you're just being silly.  It probably wasn't even Irish. I mean, I opened a bottle of prosecco yesterday and even though I bought it in Ireland ( in Lidl though, which is not Irish so that might have it's own ramifications) I wouldn't propose that as the greatest Irish person ever! Plus it was horrible, so that's another reason right there. 

Although I did buy some 'Irish spring lamb' chops. They were quite nice. 

So stop dragging this thread off topic rmelly!


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## rmelly (1 Feb 2009)

Vanilla said:


> Now you're just being silly.  It probably wasn't even Irish. I mean, I opened a bottle of prosecco yesterday and even though I bought it in Ireland ( in Lidl though, which is not Irish so that might have it's own ramifications) I wouldn't propose that as the greatest Irish person ever! Plus it was horrible, so that's another reason right there.
> 
> Although I did buy some 'Irish spring lamb' chops. They were quite nice.
> 
> So stop dragging this thread off topic rmelly!


 
For all you know it might have been a nice piece of Irish cheddar made with quality Irish ingredients by an Irish born master cheese maker bought from a privately owned Irish retailer with Irish Euros (none of this German or Spanish or PIGS Euro muck). 

Then again it might have been and Easi Single or a wedge of Laughing Cow.


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## Sue Ellen (1 Feb 2009)

DavyJones said:


> I second this, and by my count, that puts Sue Ellen in the lead



Ok I won, thinking of closing this thread now while I'm ahead (and no that's not classed as cheating) [broken link removed]

P.S.  What was the prize for coming 1st, hope its not a bottle of that cheap plonk that Vanilla bought in Lidl.


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## sandrat (1 Feb 2009)

Sue Ellen said:


> Ok I won, thinking of closing this thread now while I'm ahead (and no that's not classed as cheating) [broken link removed]
> 
> P.S. What was the prize for coming 1st, hope its not a bottle of that cheap plonk that Vanilla bought in Lidl.


 
I'll vote for Sue Ellen aswell but...

Before you can receive your prize you will need to prove you are Irish, we will need your passport, a household bill, your bank account number and sort code and your credit card number including the security code on the back. Then we'll lodge the prize money into you account.


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## S.L.F (1 Feb 2009)

Since you can't vote for yourself.

I'm changing my vote to rmelly's cheese as well, so it is now 2-2.

I would suspect Sue Eellen would not be happy to lose out to a bit of _rmelly_ cheese.


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## z104 (1 Feb 2009)

Fingalian said:


> General Michael Collins


 

If he negotiated 32 counties I would have agreed but agreeing to 26 was a sell out.


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## z103 (1 Feb 2009)

Only one vote for bertie so far?


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## Vanilla (1 Feb 2009)

Niallers said:


> If he negotiated 32 counties I would have agreed but agreeing to 26 was a sell out.


 
With one sentence you've revealed yourself to be at fault for much of the countries economic woes ( ie you voted fianna fail, right?).

And Sue Ellen, I'd take issue with that 'cheap plonk' jibe  ( except you're right on both counts...).


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## Vanilla (1 Feb 2009)

leghorn said:


> Only one vote for bertie so far?


 
Yea, I'd say it was Niallers.


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## Smashbox (1 Feb 2009)

I'll vote for Sue if I get some financial reward... payment in kind is ok too


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## S.L.F (1 Feb 2009)

Sue Ellen said:


> Me


 
Doesn't count because you can't vote for yourself



DavyJones said:


> I second this, and by my count, that puts Sue Ellen in the lead


 
This one is sound



sandrat said:


> I'll vote for Sue Ellen aswell but...


 
This is not a vote



Smashbox said:


> I'll vote for Sue if I get some financial reward... payment in kind is ok too


 
You can't bribe people to get what you want.

So by my reckoning rmelly's cheese has the prize


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## z103 (1 Feb 2009)

> So by my reckoning rmelly's cheese has the prize


Eh?
The winner, going by your post, clearly has to be bertie.


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## sandrat (1 Feb 2009)

why did no on vote for purple?


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## S.L.F (2 Feb 2009)

leghorn said:


> Eh?
> The winner, going by your post, clearly has to be bertie.


 
Yeah but since there are no rules then rmelly's cheese has to win.


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## z103 (2 Feb 2009)

> Yeah but since there are no rules then rmelly's cheese has to win.


That was my whole basis for bertie's win (no rules).
I suppose it's a very close competition. On reflection, I too would have to go with the cheese.


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## casiopea (2 Feb 2009)

W.B. Yeats (literature)


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## S.L.F (2 Feb 2009)

leghorn said:


> That was my whole basis for bertie's win (no rules).
> I suppose it's a very close competition. On reflection, I too would have to go with the cheese.


 
Well if you had to take a pick between a piece of cheese or having Bertie back as leader which would you go for.

Cheese Please!


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## sandrat (2 Feb 2009)

what kind of cheese? Deep fried brie or bertie eh? Daddy or chips...?


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## gillarosa (2 Feb 2009)

Michael Davitt  
Willy Birmingham  
St. Brigid
Constance Markievicz
Joe Higgins


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## z104 (2 Feb 2009)

Vanilla said:


> With one sentence you've revealed yourself to be at fault for much of the countries economic woes ( ie you voted fianna fail, right?).
> 
> And Sue Ellen, I'd take issue with that 'cheap plonk' jibe ( except you're right on both counts...).


 
Yep, To my eternal Shame I voted for Fianna *Fail. *


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## Purple (2 Feb 2009)

gillarosa said:


> Michael Davitt
> Willy Birmingham
> St. Brigid
> Constance Markievicz
> Joe Higgins


...all mad in their own way...


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## Graham_07 (2 Feb 2009)

RMCF said:


> Bono.
> 
> I'll get my coat.


 

Holding RMCF's coat for them .... 

How about ClubMan !!!


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## rabbit (2 Feb 2009)

Michael O'Leary....made travel affordable for Irish people ( remember paying 200 quid to go to England with aer lingus in early eighties, when money was money ...)...and made Ryanair a household name in Europe...one of our few success stories in international markets

Or Sean Quinn for creating 5500 Irish jobs ?


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## Purple (2 Feb 2009)

sandrat said:


> why did no on vote for purple?



Good question!


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## DrMoriarty (2 Feb 2009)

Peter Griffin.


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## gillarosa (2 Feb 2009)

Purple said:


> ...all mad in their own way...


 
naturally, I'd hardly compile a list of people who are all mad in the same way!


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## Sue Ellen (2 Feb 2009)

DrMoriarty said:


> Peter Griffin.



Who's Peter Griffin when he's at home


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## TarfHead (2 Feb 2009)

Sue Ellen said:


> Who's Peter Griffin when he's at home



When he's a home, he's still Peter Griffin - husband, father, you might call him a family guy ?


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## DerKaiser (2 Feb 2009)

ninsaga said:


> Padraig Pearse


 
http://www.iol.ie/~dluby/proclaim.htm

"The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities....cherishing all of the children of the nation equally....."

Maybe we could consider "greatest achievement" rather than "greatest person"?


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## S.L.F (2 Feb 2009)

sandrat said:


> what kind of cheese? Deep fried brie or bertie eh? Daddy or chips...?


 
I'd like one of em roasted over flames till, all crispy.

In case you are wondering which..

The one that won't stick to a pan


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## Lex Foutish (2 Feb 2009)

Jimmy Barry Murphy. A Rebel with a cause!


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## S.L.F (2 Feb 2009)

On a serious note I believe Vere Foster was one of the greatest men from Irish history if not the greatest.

http://www.verefoster.co.uk/info.aspx?p=14&pr=Z00101


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## sandrat (2 Feb 2009)

S.L.F said:


> On a serious note I believe Vere Foster was one of the greatest men from Irish history if not the greatest.
> 
> http://www.verefoster.co.uk/info.aspx?p=14&pr=Z00101


 
Very serious note indeed, what about Terry Wogan?


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## ninsaga (2 Feb 2009)

Christy Ring
Jack Lynch
Brian Boru
Fr Ted Crilley


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## S.L.F (2 Feb 2009)

sandrat said:


> Very serious note indeed, what about Terry Wogan?


 
I do have a serious side, a very serious side.

Terry Wogan my foot how about Dave Allen, or Frank Carson.


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## sandrat (2 Feb 2009)

S.L.F said:


> I do have a serious side, a very serious side.
> 
> Terry Wogan my foot how about Dave Allen, or Frank Carson.


 
seriously?


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## sandrat (2 Feb 2009)

Nano Nagle (vote for the women!)
We heard all about her in primary school (everyday)


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## Purple (3 Feb 2009)

S.L.F said:


> On a serious note I believe Vere Foster was one of the greatest men from Irish history if not the greatest.
> 
> http://www.verefoster.co.uk/info.aspx?p=14&pr=Z00101



Wow, I never heard of the guy. Thanks for the link SLF, I'll have to read up on him.


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## nesbitt (3 Feb 2009)

S.L.F said:


> On a serious note I believe Vere Foster was one of the greatest men from Irish history if not the greatest.
> 
> http://www.verefoster.co.uk/info.aspx?p=14&pr=Z00101


 
I read the information on Vere Foster from your link.  What a humanitarian, I wish he had a fitting momument to his memory.  He should be included in our childrens history books.


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## S.L.F (3 Feb 2009)

Purple said:


> Wow, I never heard of the guy. Thanks for the link SLF, I'll have to read up on him.


 


nesbitt said:


> I read the information on Vere Foster from your link. What a humanitarian, I wish he had a fitting momument to his memory. He should be included in our childrens history books.


 
Some years ago I watched an R.T.E. program on him (Nationwide?).

Apparently he came from a very wealthy and privileged background with large estates in Ireland and England.

After he saw Ireland's people destitute he decided to do everything possible to help.

He beggared himself and some of his wealthy friends to this.

Not just by throwing money at the problem but by real work and thought (our govt coiuld learn something from his example)

When he died he had 12 mourners at his funeral.


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## Smashbox (3 Feb 2009)

S.L.F said:


> You can't bribe people to get what you want.


 
Eh, yeah I can. Happens all the time!


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## S.L.F (3 Feb 2009)

Smashbox said:


> Eh, yeah I can. Happens all the time!


 
Eh! You must vote F.F.


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## mathepac (3 Feb 2009)

S.L.F said:


> how about ... Frank Carson.


I'm surprised some of the lawyers haven't nominated the other Carson, Edward, after the great job he did defending the Marquess of Queensberry in the libel action brought by his old university pal and hurling teammate, Oscar Wilde.


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## Smashbox (4 Feb 2009)

S.L.F said:


> Eh! You must vote F.F.


 
I told you before I didn't! Are you still sour?!


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