For the week that’s in it…..
To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Seachtain na Gaeilge, we asked our followers to name Ireland’s favourite Son/Daughter. There was a wide range of responses in our ‘Paddy’s Day Pole’. From some of our patriotic leaders, to our current cohort of sporting warriors, we have put together a list of the five most popular Irish heroes (according to the Shaka Hub followers!).
5. Jack Charlton
To any of the smart-arses that say Big Jack wasn’t an Irish man, get off the stage because you haven’t a clue! The honorary Irish man played an integral part in bringing the country together to support ‘The Boys in Green’ over his 10 years in charge of the Irish national football team. His untimely passing last year, was a reminder of the great times he provided the Irish people with, as he brought the team to a European Championships and 2 World Cup’s. His highlight was of course ‘Italia 90’, where Ireland reached the World Cup quarter final for the first time, helping to cement his place in Irish folklore. If ever there was something we wish we could have seen first-hand, it would be the streets of Dublin city after Packie Bonner made ‘that’ save!
Big Jack, we salute you!
4. Michael D Higgins
It’s hard not to like Michael D. The current Irish President has been a fantastic representative of this country during his time in the Áras. Other countries probably think it’s hilarious that the President of the country is a “real-life leprechaun”, but he has proven himself to be so much more than that in his time in politics in Ireland. One of his standout moments, had to be his iconic speech during the 1916 commemorations a couple of years ago. His passion for the language, the arts and the nation as a whole, shone through that night, and it’s fair to say he brought a tear to the eye of many an Irish Man/Woman!
3. Luke Kelly
Luke Kelly would have been eighty years old this year and although he died in 1984, a time when most people reading his blog were not even born, he has become a huge musical influence on our generation. I am not sure if Luke’s appeal was his harsh Irish weatherworn features, his staunch and outspoken views on social justice, his talent as a foot stamping entertainer or his ability to deliver the words of a song across what have to have been the ‘gravelliest’ vocal cords in living memory, maybe it was all of these. As the late Neil Tobin said ‘When he was on form there was no folk singer better than him – either today or then. Nobody came close’.
I know that our generation has missed something, in that we will never get to experience Luke Kelly singing live, but we have been blessed that because of his recordings Luke will never be lost to us and is, without a doubt, an icon of our generation.
2. Roy Keane
Roy Keane deserves a spot on this list for his entertainment value as a pundit alone. One of the greatest footballers Ireland has ever produced, he had an illustrious career at the very top of the game, winning 7 Premier League titles and a Champions League medal with Manchester United. His performance in the Champions League semi-final against Juventus in 1999 being heralded by his ‘good friend’ Sir Alex Feguson as one of the greatest displays he had ever seen.
Nowadays Roy likes to spend his weekends picking arguments in the Sky Sports studio and causing a much trouble among football elite, with his no-nonsense attitude and ever-growing list of iconic phrases. Like him or loathe him, the man has been incredibly successful and it’s hard not to show our appreciation for him.
1. Katie Taylor
Who else was it going to be??
The boxer from Bray established herself as a national hero the day she won her Gold Medal at the London Olympics in 2012. Since then, not only has she gone on to win numerous world titles, through her 17 professional wins from 17,
but has also transformed Female boxing as a sport. Nowadays, when she is not headlining her own cards, she is fighting on the undercard of World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua. She has helped to elevate the sport on a global scale and gives hope and encouragement to so many young women at home and abroad. For all of these reasons, it was only right that Katie takes number one spot on our list!
Our tips:
Give Roy Keane a follow an Instagram, if you haven’t done so already. He’s churning out some goldies lately, and we reckon it will only get better!
If you’re a fan of Luke Kelly and the Irish Music Scene, be sure to check out Dan McCabe on YouTube. That man is going places, trust us!
If you’re walking in the Phoenix Park anytime soon, be sure to walk by Áras an Uachtarain. Michael D can usually be spotted out walking the new dogs and is only happy to stop for a selfie!
Take a trip down memory lane and check out 'Reeling in the Years - 1990'. Some incredible footage of a 3 week party for the world cup!
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