RTÉ Sport: Greatest Irish Sportsperson Ever

[Hound]

Harrington has to be up there.

Whatever you think of him personally, his achievements have far outshone any other Irish golfer (and we've had plenty of good ones down the years) and in terms of major wins, he's currently the best in Europe and overall third in Europe over the last 30 years or more - with a good chance of more to come.

[redhugh]

It always amazes me that Rinty Monaghan never seems to be considered when lists are being compiled of great Irish sportsmen- undisputed flyweight champion of the world. Surely he would be more deserving than some on that list.

[Diet Coke]

Terry Phelan , or Houlie

[muppet]

For me it would probably be Sonia.

World Cross Country Champion
World Track Athletics Champion
World record holder
Olympic Silver (Gold medal winner subsequently found with EPO in her car)
Robbed of a performance in Olympics at her peak by a virus
Robbed in World Championships by Chinese machines
Multiple European Champion

Despite all of the above she never complained or launched an outburst of any kind even in her autobiography.

In another life I would have put Stephen Roche up there but I'm afraid history won't juge the cyclists too kindly for a long time.

Harrington deserves to be close and looking at Roy Keane's career as a total he should be in the shake-up. (no I'm not a United supporter either)

We are ignoring the Ronnie Delaney's of this world which doesn't seem fair either.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Greatest Irish Sportsperson of all time

Vincent O'Brien for me. The only Irish person who could truly claim to be the best ever in the world at his sport (apart from Christy Ring and Mick O'Connell obviously!)


Greatest Irish Sporting Moment

Dawn Run's Cheltenham Gold Cup.


'So Near And Yet So Far' Irish Sporting Moment

1991 Rugby World Cup against Australia. The place went absolutely mental after Hamilton's try and only a minute later Michael Lynagh broke our hearts.

Tony McCoy is the greatest ever jockey to sit on a horse under National Hunt rules.

You obviously never seen Tommy Carberry ride at his peak. I'm a huge fan of AP but you could argue that he's not even the best jock riding at the moment. Ruby has had a far better record at the bigger meetings over the past few years.

DH,

Thats quite a presumption to make just because someone has an alternative opinion. I had the pleasure of seeing Tommy Carberry unsaddle L'Escargo when I was a cub and it made a lasting impression. Ruby has the better record over the last years as he has been on the better horses from Nicholls yard, would you not agree?

McCoy is capable of things on a horse that no other jockey riding today is. Walsh, Carberry and a few others are much more stylish but I know who I would want on a horse when the money is down.

AP is hindered by the fact that he is retained to ride all of JP and Jonjo's old goats but I still think it is a bit of an overstatement to say he is the greatest ever NH jockey. He has a fantastic ability to get a horse to run behind the bridle, similar to Fallon on the flat, but his style does not suit all horses. Henrietta Knight was very reluctant to let him ride Best Mate for example. There was a school of thought after the 2001 King George that Best Mate would have beaten Florida Pearl had Jim Culloty been in the plate. His never say die ride on Wichita Lineman at Cheltenham this year was praised to the hilt (I backed Maljimar! ) and it was said many times that AP was the only jockey that would have one on him. This ignored the equally brilliant ride Timmy Murphy had given the same horse at Sandown previously when he kidded and cajoled the horse home. Similarly everyone said how Brave Inca and McCoy were a match made in heaven but when Ruby rode him in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2006 the horse travelled much better than he'd ever travelled for McCoy.

McCoy's strength in a finish and aggressive style appeals to punters but I don't think he's as good a horseman as Walsh. The number of winners he's ridden is certainly impressive but I think Ruby, Tommy Carberry, Tommy Stack, Adrian Maguire,  Francome and Dunwoody were as good if not better than AP.

[Donnellys Hollow]

I can't see horse training as a sport in this context. Horse racing was a business long before some of the other sports were even sports. Whatever about the jockeys where there is at least real live rider against rider competition, trainers are in the same category to me as guide dog trainers etc. 

FFS you can be a trainer at 100 years old. 

If horse trainers are worthy nominees why don't we see Jack Charlton nominated here or Maurice Setters? Or Stephen Ireland's auld fella since he produced the footballer and coached Sonia O'Sullivan among others?

For horse racing - O'Brien would have controlled breeding and nuturing a horse from a day old to a world class thoroughbred. Didn't see Charlton do that

What about the guide dogs?

When was the last time a guide dog won a race at Ascot

When was the last time Vincent O'Brien ran anywhere, threw anything or won a game for striking a ball. He sends out animals to do it.

Great skill no doubt, but greatest sportsperson ever. Not for me.

MV O'Brien revolutionised a sport on his own. He was the greatest trainer (in both codes) that ever lived and you won't find many around the world that will dispute that opinion. You might not consider a racehorse trainer to be a sportsperson, but I don't think anyone else on that list (apart from Ring and O'Connell) could truly claim to be the best in the world ever at their chosen sport/profession.

[muppet]

I can't see horse training as a sport in this context. Horse racing was a business long before some of the other sports were even sports. Whatever about the jockeys where there is at least real live rider against rider competition, trainers are in the same category to me as guide dog trainers etc. 

FFS you can be a trainer at 100 years old. 

If horse trainers are worthy nominees why don't we see Jack Charlton nominated here or Maurice Setters? Or Stephen Ireland's auld fella since he produced the footballer and coached Sonia O'Sullivan among others?

For horse racing - O'Brien would have controlled breeding and nuturing a horse from a day old to a world class thoroughbred. Didn't see Charlton do that

What about the guide dogs?

When was the last time a guide dog won a race at Ascot

When was the last time Vincent O'Brien ran anywhere, threw anything or won a game for striking a ball. He sends out animals to do it.

Great skill no doubt, but greatest sportsperson ever. Not for me.

MV O'Brien revolutionised a sport on his own. He was the greatest trainer (in both codes) that ever lived and you won't find many around the world that will dispute that opinion. You might not consider a racehorse trainer to be a sportsperson, but I don't think anyone else on that list (apart from Ring and O'Connell) could truly claim to be the best in the world ever at their chosen sport/profession.

If he didn't run anywhere, jump anything, lift anything, throw anything, play anything or actively take part in an event how could he be a sportsperson?

[Maroon Heaven]

RTE will have to make a call on this. I'd put O'Brien down as a sportsman

[Donnellys Hollow]

Horse racing is considered a sport and no man had a greater impact on that sport than MV O'Brien:

".....In the vote for the greatest figure in the history of horseracing hosted by the Racing Post newspaper, Vincent O'Brien came first with 28% of the total vote....." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_O'Brien

[muppet]

Horse racing is considered a sport and no man had a greater impact on that sport than MV O'Brien:

".....In the vote for the greatest figure in the history of horseracing hosted by the Racing Post newspaper, Vincent O'Brien came first with 28% of the total vote....." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_O'Brien

I could argue that Micheál Ó'Hehir had a huge impact on the Gaa but I wouldn't nominate him as the Gaa's greatest sportsman.

[WeAreBlueWeAreWhite]

How could a man who turned his back on his country be considered?

[Mayo4Sam]

Am i the only one that thinks because horse racing is not a mainstream sport worldwide, like golf & tennis then a world great in that is less than a runner, swimmer, soccer player, cyclist? Or maybe u can only beat whats in front of u. Coughlan was world champion & record holder in one of the, if not the most contested distances in athleatics.

[Maroon Heaven]

Horse racing is considered a sport and no man had a greater impact on that sport than MV O'Brien:

".....In the vote for the greatest figure in the history of horseracing hosted by the Racing Post newspaper, Vincent O'Brien came first with 28% of the total vote....." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_O'Brien

I could argue that Micheál Ó'Hehir had a huge impact on the Gaa but I wouldn't nominate him as the Gaa's greatest sportsman.

What about Mick O'Dwyer then??

[haveaharp]

How could a man who turned his back on his country be considered?

Don't think anyone mentioned Stephen Ireland, Barry McGuigan was mentioned a few times.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Horse racing is considered a sport and no man had a greater impact on that sport than MV O'Brien:

".....In the vote for the greatest figure in the history of horseracing hosted by the Racing Post newspaper, Vincent O'Brien came first with 28% of the total vote....." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_O'Brien

I could argue that Micheál Ó'Hehir had a huge impact on the Gaa but I wouldn't nominate him as the Gaa's greatest sportsman.

What about Mick O'Dwyer then??

He's nominated alright MH