No Conor McGregor: The most successful and interesting sports stars from every Dublin postcode - with no Crumlin fighter, GAA or soccer allowed

Published date08 May 2021
AuthorAlex Dunne
Publication titleDublinLive (Ireland)
But scratch beneath that surface, and there's a long, wide, and varied history of Dubs raising their hands in the air in victory on the world stage across a variety of sports.

Each area of the city has its own legends, and we've dug up what we believe to be the most interesting sportsperson from every Dublin postcode - plus the Local Electoral Areas of North and South county Dublin, we wouldn't leave you out.

Some of the picks are fairly obvious, some are a little more obscure, some you may never have heard of.

But all have their own story to tell, and all have contributed their patch to the city's sporting quilt.

Dublin 1: Kellie Harrington

Kellie Harrington is Ireland's pre-eminent amateur boxer in 2021. A World Championship gold medallist, the Portland Row native returned to a rapturous street party in the North Inner City after her 2018 success in New Delhi. She also boasts a World Championship bronze and a fistful of European and Irish medals, and will be hoping to emulate Katie Taylor's Olympic success this summer. A true daughter of the city, and still only 31, there's certainly more to come.

Dublin 2: Dan Donnelly

Slight cheat this one, as information on Donnelly's exact location of birth is hard to come by. However we do know he became a feared pugilist in the inner city and the Docklands after fighting his way, quite literally, out of a life of poverty. In the story of Donnelly's short life (he was just 31 when he died) it's hard to separate the myth from the fact. He had arms so long he could touch his knees without bending over, one of his mummified arms is a museum display. He doled out justice on the streets keeping Dublin's criminals in check like a 19th century Batman. He was famously bad with money, running his four pubs into the ground. His fights could top 30 rounds in length. But we do know Sir Dan was widely credited as Ireland's first ever boxing heavyweight champion, is a Hall of Famer, a champion of Irish struggle over the British, and his scrap with George Cooper at the Curragh in 1815 is one of the most celebrated fights in the sport's history. A true legend.

Dublin 3: Brian O'Driscoll

O'Driscoll's achievements need no introduction. Arguably Ireland's most celebrated rugby player ever, certainly in the professional era. Ireland captain for nearly a decade. Lions captain. 133 caps and 46 tries for Ireland, both records. Three times a European Cup winner with Leinster, a Grand Slam winner in 2009, Six Nations record for tries scored, we could go on literally all day. Really, we've only dropped him in here because we're not sure many people realise he's actually from Clontarf and not Dublin's southside.

Dublin 4: Ronnie Delany

Arklow-born Delany moved to Sandymount at the age of six, and joined Crusaders Athletic Club up the road in Irishtown. He was the seventh man to run a four minute mile and reached a World Championship final at 800m before his finest hour in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956, when he outpaced local favourite John Landy with a devastatingly quick final sprint to claim 1500m gold for Ireland. He would add a World Championship bronze in the 1500m, and a World University gold in the 800m, to his cabinet before retiring in 1962 to work for Aer Lingus.

Dublin 5: Dick and Pat Hooper

Raheny's Marathon-running brothers were both champions - and both went to the Olympics for Ireland. Older brother Pat was a one-time Irish...

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