Long before Notre Dame's Fighting Irish won gridiron glory or The Cooz electrified Boston Garden, the original Celtic warrior was a long-armed boxer named Dan Donnelly who trounced the hated English champ in a bloody bare-knuckled brawl in 1815 that made him a national hero. Since then, Fighting Irishmen from "Boston Strong Boy" John L. Sullivan to Micky Ward of Lowell have punched their way from Palookaville to world titles in a sport that gives immigrants a fighting chance at the American Dream. The battling sons of Ye Ould Sod are back in the ring again including honorary Irishman Mohammed Ali in a barnburner of an exhibit at Boston College. Arriving like a haymaker in the stately Burns Library with its glorious stained glass windows, "The Fighting Irishmen: Celebrating Celtic Prizefighters, 1820 to the Present" delivers more knockouts than the Friday Night Fights. Organized by James J. Houlihan, a New York businessman who promotes Irish culture, it explores the history, social impact and public image of boxing through a remarkable collection of memorabilia and artifacts. "The bravery and tenacity of the Gaels, especially as heroic warriors, are renowned throughout history," he said. "The champions we celebrate (in this show) exemplify this great tradition." A longtime boxing fan, Houlihan decided to organize the exhibit after seeing a show about the Golden Age of Jewish fighters from the 1920s. When his exhibit about Irish bo ...
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Long before Notre Dame's Fighting Irish won gridiron glory or The Cooz electrified Boston Garden, the original Celtic warrior was a long-armed boxer named Dan Donnelly who trounced the hated English champ in a bloody bare-knuckled brawl in 1815 that made him a national hero. Since then, Fighting Irishmen from "Boston Strong Boy" John L. Sullivan to Micky Ward of Lowell have punched their way from Palookaville to world titles in a sport that gives immigrants a fighting chance at the American Dream. The battling sons of Ye Ould Sod are back in the ring again including honorary Irishman Mohammed Ali in a barnburner of an exhibit at Boston College. Arriving like a haymaker in the stately Burns Library with its glorious stained glass windows, "The Fighting Irishmen: Celebrating Celtic Prizefighters, 1820 to the Present" delivers more knockouts than the Friday Night Fights. Organized by James J. Houlihan, a New York businessman who promotes Irish culture, it explores the history, social impact and public image of boxing through a remarkable collection of memorabilia and artifacts. "The bravery and tenacity of the Gaels, especially as heroic warriors, are renowned throughout history," he said. "The champions we celebrate (in this show) exemplify this great tradition." A longtime boxing fan, Houlihan decided to organize the exhibit after seeing a show about the Golden Age of Jewish fighters from the 1920s. When his exhibit about Irish bo ...