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The greatest Irish person...

  • 07-02-2017 11:47PM
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 22,384 ✭✭✭✭


    ...presume it's been done here before, but can't say I've seen it recently.

    So who do you regard as the greatest Irish person? To avoid the inevitable NI argument I mean anyone from the island of Ireland, or with Irish nationality for anyone wrestling over Daniel Day Lewis etc. And give a sentence or 2 of reasoning...

    For me, it's W.B. Yeats. A brilliant brilliant mind, the man who created the most beautiful poem of all time with his "When You Are Old". The word "genius" should be used very carefully, but I think it fully applies in his case.

    https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43283

    Who's the best 3 votes

    The person I like
    0% 0 votes
    The person I don't like
    100% 3 votes


«134567…10

Comments

  • #2
    Pat Mustard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,554 ✭✭✭Pat Mustard


    Michael Flatley.

    Soft day, thank gawd


  • #3
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    John Wayne in The Quiet Man but not in True Grit or Stagecoach.


  • #4
    Fuzzytrooper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 896 ✭✭✭Fuzzytrooper


    Shackelton, a great old lad.

    Alternatively do we know the nationality of a certain Trent?


  • #5
    ChunkyLover54
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 564 ✭✭✭ChunkyLover54


    Tony Cascarino.


  • #6
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    Charles Stewart Parnell


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  • #7
    Rumpy Pumpy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭Rumpy Pumpy


    Pintman Paddy Losty.


  • #8
    whoopsadoodles
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,058 ✭✭✭whoopsadoodles


    My Dad.


  • #9
    Odyssey 2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,051 ✭✭✭✭Odyssey 2005


    Yez are all rong. It's Bono.


  • #10
    harry Bailey esq
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,814 ✭✭✭harry Bailey esq


    Can you vote for yourself? If not,it's a toss up between Charlie Haughey and wibbs.


  • #11
    Fuzzytrooper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 896 ✭✭✭Fuzzytrooper


    whoopsadoodles wrote: »
    My Dad.

    My dad would beat up your dad. He's got a rake!


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  • #12
    Mr. FoggPatches
    Closed Accounts Posts: 681 ✭✭✭Mr. FoggPatches


    Barracks o'bama. 3 u-21 medals for laois, handy at handball, built an eaterie and became president of the ufc or something. Who else can say that?


  • #13
    D Trent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭D Trent


    Paul O'Connell



    Need you have fookin asked?


  • #14
    Duff
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭Duff


    Paul McGrath. He was an absolute machine back in his heyday.


  • #15
    Ubbquittious
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,328 ✭✭✭Ubbquittious


    Tom Crean


  • #16
    maudgonner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    I find it hard to take Yeats' romantic poetry seriously knowing what a strange, strange man he was. I mean my namesake was fairly batshít crazy, but he was miles worse than even her.

    I think Michael Davitt was a remarkable man, and has been quite overlooked by history. Partly because he was overshadowed by the glamour of Parnell. Partly because our modern view of history was so shaped by Pearse, Plunkett etc and the peaceful revolution of the Land War didn't fit their uprising's agenda. But for a man from the humblest of backgrounds, who had an unfortunate childhood, to go on and live the life he did, while being a seemingly very humble and decent man, that's impressive.


  • #17
    Arghus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,373 ✭✭✭✭Arghus


    Paul McGrath.

    Ooh fookin aah.


  • #18
    wp_rathead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,087 ✭✭✭✭wp_rathead


    Roger Casement was a cool skhin


  • #19
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 22,384 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    maudgonner wrote: »
    I find it hard to take Yeats' romantic poetry seriously knowing what a strange, strange man he was. I mean my namesake was fairly batshít crazy, but he was miles worse than even her.

    I think Michael Davitt was a remarkable man, and has been quite overlooked by history. Partly because he was overshadowed by the glamour of Parnell. Partly because our modern view of history was so shaped by Pearse, Plunkett etc and the peaceful revolution of the Land War didn't fit their uprising's agenda. But for a man from the humblest of backgrounds, who had an unfortunate childhood, to go on and live the life he did, while being a seemingly very humble and decent man, that's impressive.

    Actually you make a very good point...apart from your criticism of W.B.!

    The social reforms brought about by the Land League had a far more profound and real impact than the political changes in the aftermath of 1916.


  • #20
    jelutong
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭jelutong


    Seamus Ennis.


  • #21
    Slattsy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    Tom Cruise in Far And Away


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  • #22
    Patser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,367 ✭✭✭Patser


    Arthur Wellesley


  • #23
    Cartouche
    Closed Accounts Posts: 248 ✭✭Cartouche


    Define 'great'


  • #24
    Odyssey 2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,051 ✭✭✭✭Odyssey 2005


    Patser wrote: »
    Arthur Wellesley

    Is he married to cristy burkes yung wun ?


  • #25
    maryishere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,549 ✭✭✭maryishere


    Ford ( of the Ford car company) came from Cork before he set up his car factory ( modern assembly line ) in the states and revolutionised car manufacture.

    Boyle ( Boyles law in physics) came from Dublin as far as I remember.

    Dunlop ( the man behind the tyres) and Ferguson ( the man behind the tractors), from N.I.

    Walton, the man who split the atom, won or co-won Nobel prize I think


    Not bad for a small country.


  • #26
    Gwynplaine
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,909 ✭✭✭Gwynplaine


    Marty Morrissey


  • #27
    Pinch Flat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,779 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    Mrs Brown


  • #28
    maryishere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,549 ✭✭✭maryishere


    I forgot (ex-President) O'Bhama , he got a motorway service station named after him.


  • #29
    tonycascarino
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭tonycascarino


    Dermot MacMurrough


  • #30
    beertons
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,324 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    Kevin Sheedy. For he put the ball in the English net.


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  • #31
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 22,384 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Cartouche wrote: »
    Define 'great'

    Ah well, that's in the eye of the beholder!

    Some have suggested sports players, some may go for military or political figures, for me it was someone whose brilliance was in the world of arts. But I'd rather leave it undefined and open...


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