Most recognizable Irish sporting personality in Ireland.

gigantic09 · 08-05-2016 01:08PM #1

Lots of choices here from different sporting backgrounds.Who,if people were to meet them walking down the street,would be most recognizable?.My own Tuppence worth would go on Brian Cody.He's our version of Alex Ferguson in the success stakes.Been around for ages so all age groups would be aware of him.Has a face with gnarled features that stands out.For those that say Conor McGregor,I was in the pub last weekend and over the course of the night at least 15 Mcgregor's came into the place.Only person's still living should be considered.

diomed · 08-05-2016 01:10PM

Paul O'Connell.
I don't know this Brian Cody.

finglashoop · 08-05-2016 01:10PM

Couldnt pick brian cody out of a line up. I reckon everyone knows what mc gregor looks like. Sports fan or not

ThrillCosby · 08-05-2016 01:12PM

Roy Keane, Brian O Driscoll

rebel.ranter · 08-05-2016 01:13PM

It depends on your generation. However I think these 4 would be up there:

Jack Charlton
Roy Keane
Katie Taylor
Sonia O'Sullivan

08-05-2016 01:14PM

I'd say hard to beat Roy Keane. He has been around for a few decades, unlike McGregor played in a popular sport shown on mainstream tv, represented his country at the highest level. My mum and her generation would not know of McGregor, most of my friends have never seen an MMA fight.

finglashoop · 08-05-2016 01:15PM

Roy keane

Sonia o sullivan

Tony McCoy

cashback · 08-05-2016 01:15PM

Rory McIlroy

If they can be from recent years, Sonia O'Sullivan?

CloudCumulus · 08-05-2016 01:16PM

But don't sai hi to O'Driscoll, I've heard he's not a fan.

Rory McIlroy

08-05-2016 01:17PM

finglashoop wrote: »

Roy keane

Sonia o sullivan

Tony McCoy

Not sure about McCoy. A phenomenon...but think many would find it hard to recognise a jockey. Similarly with hurlers. It's the head covering and the way the sport is shown on tv, few face close ups.

Bobby Baccala · 08-05-2016 01:17PM

Barry McGuigan

ChunkyLover54 · 08-05-2016 01:18PM

Davy Fitzgerald

Paul McGrath.

tastyt · 08-05-2016 01:18PM

Paul McGrath

Chickarooney · 08-05-2016 01:19PM

You put the following people into a lineup and Brian Cody would be the one the majority of people would struggle with the most.

Brian Cody
Conor McGregor (you didn't see 15 of them in the pub, you saw people dressed like him, you knew this because you recognise him so well).
Eamonn Dunphy
Paul OConnell
Brian O'Driscoll
Johnny Sexton
Roy Keane
Robbie Keane
Sonia O'Sullivan
Katie Taylor
Johnny Giles

They're recognisable because they are on our TVs day in day out.

Brian Cody is not.

gucci · 08-05-2016 01:23PM

George Best or Jimmy Barry Murphy

gigantic09 · 08-05-2016 01:23PM

Paul O'Connell

cashback wrote: »

If they can be from recent years, Sonia O'Sullivan?

Ya as long as they are fit to walk down the street :-).Sonia would be high up the list i'd say.

Steppenwolfe · 08-05-2016 01:24PM

I had to google Brian Cody, yet I recognised all the other sports personalities mentioned in the thread. I'd say Keane would be up there based on his high profile over many years.

ceegee · 08-05-2016 01:25PM

finglashoop wrote: »

Roy keane

Sonia o sullivan

Tony McCoy

Will McCoy be sitting on a horse, wearing a green and yellow jumper? If not I'd doubt 1 in 10 would recognise him.

Keane or O'Connell for me. Around long enough for people of varying ages to know them and recent enough that kids/teens would remember them. Also POCs size makes him stand out so probably easiest to spot.

McGrath, Sonia have been off our screens for over a decade, a lot of younger people wouldnt have a clue who they are. In the 90s theyd have been up there though

tayto lover · 08-05-2016 01:26PM

Rory Mc Ilroy.

Gooch Cooper.

Robbie Keane.

gigantic09 · 08-05-2016 01:29PM

Paul O'Connell

Steppenwolfe wrote: »

I had to google Brian Cody, yet I recognised all the other sports personalities mentioned in the thread. I'd say Keane would be up there based on his high profile over many years.

Recognizing the name and the face are different though.Katie taylor for example would be a name familiar to most people,but her face not so much so id say.

Yamanoto · 08-05-2016 01:29PM

tayto lover wrote: »

Rory Mc Ilroy.

Gooch Cooper.

Robbie Keane.

I've heard the name on Off the Ball & Second Captains many times, but no idea what the fella looks like.

Say I'm far from alone on that one too.

The Backwards Man · 08-05-2016 01:30PM

Eamonn Dunphy

CrabRevolution · 08-05-2016 01:30PM

Sonia O'Sullivan hasn't really been competing at the top end of things for about 10 years now, and even then Brian Cody has probably gotten more TV appearances. While Brian Cody won't have any international appeal, he's both the longest serving current manager, and the most successful manager of all time. More people will recognise him than ye are giving him credit for.

Cody's not the most recognisable though by a long shot. I'd give that to Roy Keane. While McGregor is very visible everywhere, there's still a lot of people who have been passed by by his fame, or who might only recognise his face.

Meanwhile if someone tried to tell you they don't know who Roy Keane is, they are just a liar.

ThrillCosby · 08-05-2016 01:32PM

Paul Mc Grath another if he hasn't been mentioned already

Gwynplaine · 08-05-2016 01:32PM

I'm guessing you're from Kilkenny op? That fella who walks up and down the touchline spitting into his hands and like to say 'put to the pin of our collar' quite a lot.
For me it would have to be Marty Morrissey. Who could forget a face like that?

gigantic09 · 08-05-2016 01:35PM

Paul O'Connell

Chickarooney wrote: »

You put the following people into a lineup and Brian Cody would be the one the majority of people would struggle with the most.

Brian Cody
Conor McGregor (you didn't see 15 of them in the pub, you saw people dressed like him, you knew this because you recognise him so well).
Eamonn Dunphy
Paul OConnell
Brian O'Driscoll
Johnny Sexton
Roy Keane
Robbie Keane
Sonia O'Sullivan
Katie Taylor
Johnny Giles

They're recognisable because they are on our TVs day in day out.

Brian Cody is not.

Cant ever imagine my mother coming in the door and saying,you'll never guess who I met at the post office this morning,Johnny Sexton.

gigantic09 · 08-05-2016 01:41PM

Paul O'Connell

Gwynplaine wrote: »

I'm guessing you're from Kilkenny op? That fella who walks up and down the touchline spitting into his hands and like to say 'put to the pin of our collar' quite a lot.
For me it would have to be Marty Morrissey. Who could forget a face like that?

Mayo actually,he's welcome to spit on the touchlines up our way if he ever wants another job.Not sure marty qualifies as he'd be more an rte personality than sporting.

applehunter · 08-05-2016 01:43PM

Robbie Keane

Its Roy Keane.

He is a cultural icon.

Red Kev · 08-05-2016 01:48PM

Roy Keane
Rory McIlroy
Brian O'Driscoll

^ In that order. They've been in papers, TV and media for years, both for their on and off field sporting exploits, so I'd pick one of them. I don't think Conor |McGregor belongs on the list as there's loads of lads running around with the tweed/beard/hipster combo look.

Honorable mention to Kieran Donaghy, the most recognisable GAA player going. You'll look at him first because of his height, then you see the shaved head, so they both stick out a mile, then you cop on who he is.

ceegee · 08-05-2016 01:52PM

The fact its seeing them walking down the street is a big factor. Sexton, Taylor etc are all fairly normal looking so while lots of people could name them if shown photos of sports people they wouldnt turn heads as much walking down the street. People who are unusually sized (eg rugby forwards, basketball players) will stand out a lot more. Also, if you've a bit of a wonky shaped head people will also notice you more (eg Iain Dowie is far more memorable due to his face than his talents. See also Morrissey, M)

Samaris · 08-05-2016 02:15PM

As a non-sport fan, I'd go with Sonia O'Sullivan, Peter Stringer (he's tiny* in the line-up, thus pretty recognisable!), Brian O'Driscoll, Roy Keane, Michelle Smith (even if not for good reasons any more), Conor McGregor, Katie Taylor and Paul O'Connell.

*Okay, it's more that the rest of them are huge

Most recognizable Irish sporting personality in Ireland.

Most recognizable Irish sporting personality in Ireland 100 votes

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