Ireland's most successful sports achiever

Ceist Beag said:
YKW was at the top of his sport for 14 years. His record shows:
Most capped international ever
6 nations all time top try scorer
6 nations player of the year 3 times
4 times a British & Irish Lion - one of only 3 players in 125 years to do so
4 Triple Crowns
3 Heineken Cups
1 (hopefully 2) 6 Nations Championships

What is remarkable about him is the longevity of his career at the very top. He is still our best center and probably would be next year if he stayed on. He is unquestionably our best player in the best period in Irish rugby ever ...
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1 championship (with 6 teams in it and 2 of them are Italy and Scotland) in 14 years and this was the best period in Irish rugby ever!!! That sums rugby up in this country for me...all hype and very little substance. But thats another debate

YKW is without doubt a remarkable sportsman...and 1 of the best that this country has produced. But there's a lot better that have come from this island and competed internationally IMO
 
Delboy said:
1 championship (with 6 teams in it and 2 of them are Italy and Scotland) in 14 years and this was the best period in Irish rugby ever!!! That sums rugby up in this country for me...all hype and very little substance. But thats another debate
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True the international team has underachieved but don't forget that Irish clubs have won 5 of the last 8 European club cups so it is not all hype and very little substance as you put it (also I think Italy and Argentina might take issue with your point about only 8 countries taking rugby seriously).
 
I said I would'nt get involved but...can't....resist...!!

The Irish 'club' sides are basically half the Irish team each + a few world class others from abroad! It always seems very unfair to me that we have such strong teams at that level. But thats another debate.

Italian rugby players take the sort seriously at the level they play i.e. they train just as hard as the super powers. But does Italy itself take rugby seriously?

And thats defo my final input on this part of the debate as we're taking it off topic
 
Delboy said:
I said I would'nt get involved but...can't....resist...!!

The Irish 'club' sides are basically half the Irish team each + a few world class others from abroad! It always seems very unfair to me that we have such strong teams at that level. But thats another debate.

Italian rugby players take the sort seriously at the level they play i.e. they train just as hard as the super powers. But does Italy itself take rugby seriously?

And thats defo my final input on this part of the debate as we're taking it off topic
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Well considering the Italians play their rugby in front of over 70,000 fans in the Stadio Olimpico, I would suggest they take it as seriously as anyone else. Of course it doesn't rank the same as football just the same as rugby here doesn't rank the same as GAA or soccer.

The success or failure of teams has nothing to do with the achievements of individuals. It's like saying John Giles wasn't a great footballer because he never qualified for the world cup and didn't win the European Cup with Leeds. Lots of great sports people have played for poor teams especially at international level.

I don't really get your point about Irish provincial rugby.
 
It's hard enough comparing people within the same sport from different eras let alone different sports. Then you have people who compete in individual sports versus those in team sports. Also, horses don't count.

I'll probably get castigated for this but I think we take sport far too seriously in this country and too much of the nation's self-worth seems to be invested in the achievements of our sports people.
 
ivuernis said:
It's hard enough comparing people within the same sport from different eras let alone different sports. Then you have people who compete in individual sports versus those in team sports. Also, horses don't count.

I'll probably get castigated for this but I think we take sport far too seriously in this country and too much of the nation's self-worth seems to be invested in the achievements of our sports people.
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Bah humbug!
 
If Liverpool win the Premiership, it would have to be Brendan Rogers:D

I agree with Padraig Harrington and BOD being in the shortlist, AP McCoy would have to be up there too - incredible record
 
Judged mainly for efforts over long career BOD would take my vote. If I was judging solely on the basis of producing glimpses of sporting genius, I would have to vote George Best.
 
Boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, might I introduce to you the one, the only, the magnificent Ms. Katie Taylor,
  • current 60kg Olympic Champion
  • current 60kg European Union Amateur Champion (4 Championships in total)
  • current 60kg European Amateur Champion (6 Championships in total)
  • current 60kg World Amateur Champion (4 Championships in total)
plus international tournament victories, and multiple boxer of the Championship awards.

There is no-one, man, woman or beast who has put together a competitive achievement list like Katie's, not BOD, Shefflin, Harrington, Arkle, Master McGrath, the Rackards or any name you chose to conjuer up.

Bear in mind that she turned her back on a blossoming soccer career with Ireland, a very useful Gaelic football career with significant under-age achievements, a possible professional soccer career with Arsenal Ladies, and you have our supreme sports achiever who is still only 27 years of age.

I run out of superlatives when I speak about this young woman. I am in awe of her. For almost ten years, in the international boxing arena, she has proven herself peerless. She simply is our greatest.
 
mathepac said:
Boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, might I introduce to you the one, the only, the magnificent Ms. Katie Taylor,
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Great ambassador, but it's such a minority sport though, she's Ireland's only elite lady. If we're going for minority sports, why not multiple record holder Eoin Keith? :D
 
Leo said:
Great ambassador, but it's such a minority sport though, she's Ireland's only elite lady. ....
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I agree wholeheartedly that she's a great ambassador, but I disagree that it's a minority sport. Amateur boxing is one of the sports where we achieve success well in excess of population size. One of the people who played an enormous part in her sport getting Olympic recognition and world status is Katie Taylor.

It's hardly Katies' fault that other athletes of her gender cannot reach her elite status.

I can't see her achievements being equalled or surpassed for a long time, if ever.

She is Ireland's most successful sports achiever, a wonderful role model for her generation and a genuinely nice person.
 
mathepac said:
I agree wholeheartedly that she's a great ambassador, but I disagree that it's a minority sport. Amateur boxing is one of the sports where we achieve success well in excess of population size.
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How do you define a minority sport then? Boxing overall is a minority sport here, and in most of the world. Ladies boxing is a minority within that minority. For her 2012 world title, only 58 competed for that title. There are very few sports where being the best of 58 competitors would mark you out as a world champion.
 
Leo said:
How do you define a minority sport then? ... .
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I'm not trying to define a minority sport, I'm making a strong case for Ireland's most successful sports achiever, Katie Taylor. Based on her accumulated Olympic, World, European and European Union titles (15 major titles in ten years) I think there is no competition for my nomination.

Leo said:
... Boxing overall is a minority sport here, and in most of the world. Ladies boxing is a minority within that minority. For her 2012 world title, only 58 competed for that title. There are very few sports where being the best of 58 competitors would mark you out as a world champion.
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For the World Snooker Championship, just completed a small number of elite players out of 130-ish registered players participated in the final stages having won through preliminary matches.

Snooker is a minority sport defined perhaps by the number of elite players. On the other hand, based on the interest it generates it might be considered mainstream. Darts, croquet, badminton, squash, clay-pigeon shooting, fishing, rowing, cycling etc might be minority sports at a competitive level based on the number of elite competitors, but there is huge interest in them.

So what do you mean by minority sport?
 
PatMacG said:
I'm not trying to define a minority sport, I'm making a strong case for Ireland's most successful sports achiever, Katie Taylor. Based on her accumulated Olympic, World, European and European Union titles (15 major titles in ten years) I think there is no competition for my nomination.

For the World Snooker Championship, just completed a small number of elite players out of 130-ish registered players participated in the final stages having won through preliminary matches.

Snooker is a minority sport defined perhaps by the number of elite players. On the other hand, based on the interest it generates it might be considered mainstream. Darts, croquet, badminton, squash, clay-pigeon shooting, fishing, rowing, cycling etc might be minority sports at a competitive level based on the number of elite competitors, but there is huge interest in them.

So what do you mean by minority sport?
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Is that you mathepac?!!
 
I'd define minority sports by participation levels, and if you're talking about international success, then I think you have to look solely at the numbers competing at the elite level. Sonia's achievements in a much more competitive field outshine Katie's.
 
Leo said:
I'd define minority sports by participation levels, and if you're talking about international success, then I think you have to look solely at the numbers competing at the elite level. Sonia's achievements in a much more competitive field outshine Katie's.[/QUOTE]

I tend to disagree with the above.Throughout Sonia's career she has had access to world class training facilities. She attained a scholarship in the USA in 1990 which gave her the platform to prepare for the World Student games in 1991 where she went on to win gold in the 1500M and silver in the 3000M. No doubt a brilliant performance and she went on to have a fantastic career. When you consider the facilities Katie had at her disposal, a shed in Bray with no toilet or running water and her coach her Dad working full time in his day job it's incredible what she went on to achieve.. I must add, in my opinion :)
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