Ireland's "Greatest" Ever Sportstar

Lads I would have to agree with JME. Harrington has to be number one. It's true that Harrington has never reached number one spot in the world however he's achievements have been remarkable. When looking at Harrington you have to consider how many people play golf world wide. Most observers would say that it has the largest playing base in the world where as a sport such as rugby has a very small playing base in comparsion. Harrington may be inconsistent but when he's on form he's as good as any off the other top golfers (except woods).

Slighty off track but I like playing the odd round of golf but to me, as with most people, it's a recreation rather than a sport. Therein lies the conundrum for me. At the top its a very elitist minority sport, we have a handful of guys who play in the PGA.

Rugby is played at all levels in Ireland and most other countires as a sport. Provincies, AIL, Towns & Academies have hundreds playing the game at a serious level where as you cannot say the same for golf. So which is the minority sport???

Stonecold - Surely "Seamus" would be in your top 5 ?

... and by the way Stonecold, have to disagree with you on Golf being a recreation and not a sport. First of all "most people" would class golf as a sport. Secondly IMO - Golf is everybit a sport as Rugby and requires a hell of a lot more skill.

flourman wrote:

Stonecold - Surely "Seamus" would be in your top 5 ?

Jaysus no, I can't watch it no more, gimme back Stonecold & The Rock anyday of the week, Sky Sports is terrible these days, puke soccer plus puke wrestling, might get the odd good game of golf & rugby but a waste of €27

flourman wrote:

... and by the way Stonecold, have to disagree with on Golf being a recreation and not a sport.

Golf is everybit a sport as Rugby and requires a hell of a lot more skill.

Thats not what I said, I said at the top level its played by a handful of people in this country. I never mentioned skill. Those who play twice a month cannot call it a sport, which to me is the majority of people.

Stonecold wrote:

Slighty off track but I like playing the odd round of golf but to me, as with most people, it's a recreation rather than a sport.

Sorry Stonecold - but the above states that you believe "most people" believe Golf is not a sport - and that is complete nonsense. I never said that that you mentioned "Skill" - I merely stated that Golf is very much a sport and IMO is a sport that requires more skill to play than rugby.

And to say that golf is not a sport and then a few posts later say yoou enjoy watching it on Sky SPORTS is just contradicting yourself.

Fair enough points re MV O'Brien but I'd have our own county man Pat Eddery in there before Kinane or Murtagh.

I wouldn't argue if Mick O'Dwyer was included simply because many people overlook how good a player he was too. Micko won All-Ireland medals in both the backs and the forwards and is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest ever to wear the green and gold. His managerial achievements and longevity in the game are without equal.

flourman wrote:

And to say that golf is not a sport and then a few posts later say yoou enjoy watching it on Sky SPORTS is just contradicting yourself.

I play golf it I watch golf, I played rugby I watch rugby, I played football I watch football. I can pick up my golf clubs in the morning and go for a game, no bother to anybody. I can put on me rugby gear, if it ever fits run out on a match and I'll get broken up badly. I can put my football gear on, again if it fits and may as well warm the bench (although i did a fair bit of that). So to me golf is a recreation, not a sport.

What about Roy Keane as number 1??
Captained Man Utd to League and Champions League success.
He is also Man Utd's most sucessful Captain in the History of the club.

He won 7 Premier League 4 FA Cup and Champions League.

When he retired from Playing, managed Sunderland, won the Championship with them on his first attempt, despite taking them over whilst they are bottom of the League.
Kept them in the Premiership the following season.

As an Irish sports person, he touched 2 area's within his own chosen sport and done exceptionally well at both.

I would just like to add that I am not a Man Utd fan

fionnmccool wrote:

What about Roy Keane as number 1??
Captained Man Utd to League and Champions League success.
He is also Man Utd's most sucessful Captain in the History of the club.

He won 7 Premier League 4 FA Cup and Champions League.

When he retired from Playing, managed Sunderland, won the Championship with them on his first attempt, despite taking them over whilst they are bottom of the League.
Kept them in the Premiership the following season.

As an Irish sports person, he touched 2 area's within his own chosen sport and done exceptionally well at both.

I would just like to add that I am not a Man Utd fan

... and walked out on his Country when he was needed most.

Oh no - Worms all over the place

I think Tony McCoy should have been in there somewhere

Yeah...nice one Fionn, whole new debate. Roy Keane was a 'good' footballer, end of story. He was and still is a plonker too !! If we're talking sports 'personality' I'd give it to master mcGrath before Keane.

By the way I'm not a united fan either !!!

Pull up your trousers then...
We won't get into that flourman.

As Irish sportsmen go, there wont be many who will achieve what he has achieved.

Its a not whether you like Roy Keane or dislike him, or whether you agree with what he done in 2002, its his achievements
on the field of sport.

Harringtons squeaky voice goes through my skull and i hate his squeaky clean image also...He takes a bad shot and he smiles.

Some day he'll soon take a bad shot, go over and beat his caddy to death with a 3 Iron, strip naked and run into the Sunset

fionnmccool wrote:

What about Roy Keane as number 1??
Captained Man Utd to League and Champions League success.

Was Peter Schmeicel (Excuse spelling) not captain for the final?

Still though his semi final appearance alone was unbelievable and the reason they won the CL that year

fionnmccool wrote:

Harringtons squeaky voice goes through my skull and i hate his squeaky clean image also...He takes a bad shot and he smiles.

Some day he'll soon take a bad shot, go over and beat his caddy to death with a 3 Iron, strip naked and run into the Sunset

Ha Ha Class - Now thats what I call Sport

fionnmccool wrote:

Harringtons squeaky voice goes through my skull and i hate his squeaky clean image also...He takes a bad shot and he smiles.

Some day he'll soon take a bad shot, go over and beat his caddy to death with a 3 Iron, strip naked and run into the Sunset

Tiger Woods had a squeaky clean image too and well we all know what happened him!!!

He didnt really have a squeaky clean image, he had a good PR company working for him.

He was always being pulled aside for swearing on the Golf course, he showed his frustrations by beating the club off the ground ect.

Very funny and entertaining thread,

The greatest of all has to be Charlie Haughey? he not only raped this country dry and his lapdogs done the exact same thing and are still in power?, Van Basten eat your heart out!, amazing political coniving?

What about Michelle Smith. 3 golds and 1 bronze at the Olympics??

No?


...fair enough, didnt think so.

Dale Hynan anyone?

Garvan Ware?

Cathal Sheridan???

John Divilly??

wingback wrote:

fionnmccool wrote:

What about Roy Keane as number 1??
Captained Man Utd to League and Champions League success.

Was Peter Schmeicel (Excuse spelling) not captain for the final?

Still though his semi final appearance alone was unbelievable and the reason they won the CL that year

He was suspended for the final but Roy was club captain so I think it's fair to say he captained them to CL success as he was their captain throughout the whole campaign

fionnmccool wrote:

Harrington possibly is worthy of a top 10 spot but not the greatest ever Irish sportsman.

As stone cold said you can depend on him to be inconsistent.
To be a great sportsman you have to be great for a length of time
, Harrington had a good couple of years where he won a few majors when the world number one was absent.
He never reached world number one or the top of the pile in his chosen sport.

He is a great sportsman, no doubt. Bit not the greatest.

to say harrington won a few majors when the world number one was absent is way off the mark, tiger won the majors either side of harringtons major wins.
Also the lads that are saying he is inconsistant please tell me of one consistant golfer in the modern game even the great tiger has gone off the boil recently

In all seriousness the number one sport in the country had ZERO in the top ten. I'm no admirer of Offaly but I would have Matt Connor in top ten, and I would have thought Mick O'Dwyer might have featured as well