Ireland's most successful sports achiever

[Dan Murray]

Ireland have just had their greatest sporting achievement EVER in beating the English 19/9 at Cheltenham....

What a week in Cheltenham - I am still whacked - a true test for man and beast - not even going to mention the Duke's grammar....

 

[Vanessa]

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.

Can you name any of the opponents who she defeated?

 

[mathepac]

No

 

[thedaddyman]

Domestically it has to be Jimmy Barry Murphy. Find me someone else who won All Ireland,Provincial and National League and All stars in both hurling and football with his county and county, provincial and All-Ireland club medals in both hurling and football with his club before then managing his county to minor and senior All-Ireland titles. In his spare time, he even played League Of Ireland soccer with Cork Celtic.

At international level, hard to look beyond Tony McCoy.

 

[Carnmore]

Why is there a 4 page discussion about this?

Naming boxers, racehorse trainers et al is fatuous.

It's unequivocally James Cecil Parke.

 

[Purple]

Why is there a 4 page discussion about this?

Naming boxers, racehorse trainers et al is fatuous.

It's unequivocally James Cecil Parke.

When it comes to tenis you can't forget about Mabel Cahill, an Irish woman with 5 US Open titles.

 

[Carnmore]

When it comes to tenis you can't forget about Mabel Cahill, an Irish woman with 5 US Open titles.

James Cecil Parke was an all-round sportsman while simultaneously studying law. Would put the modern-day sponsored single sports "achievers" to shame.

 

[odyssey06]

James Cecil Parke was an all-round sportsman while simultaneously studying law. Would put the modern-day sponsored single sports "achievers" to shame.

It's sad in some ways but the reality is that you have to be a single sports achiever, you simply can't compete as an all rounder, or even as someone balancing studies and a single sport. You would fall foul of the "jack of all trades, master of none" ...

Look at the difference in rugby players athleticism between the 1980s and today.

 

[Purple]

James Cecil Parke was an all-round sportsman while simultaneously studying law. Would put the modern-day sponsored single sports "achievers" to shame.

Everyone playing GAA works or Studies full time. Rugby players have to go to college at the same time as playing; it's a requirement of getting a contract. There are also rugby players who have represented their county in Hurling and Football and people who have represented their country in other sports while playing rugby (Jordan Larmore springs to mind). Then there's our greatest ever boxer who played soccer for Ireland as well as winning Olympic medals and European and world titles.