Lying in what's called 'The Hollow' in that unique landscape called 'The Curragh' in County Kildare (neighbouring county to Dublin) is a quaint and unusual monument. It is a monument to the famous Irish Boxer of the early 1800's, Dan Donnelly, who beat the best boxers of Britain at that time; it marks the exact spot in 'The Hollow' where he beat Tom Hall and then George Cooper in front of 20,000 people; the monument's inscription reads: ''This is where Donnelly beat Cooper in 1815.'' As such, it's probably the only outdoors monument to a boxer in the world!
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| 'The Hollow' in the Curragh - scene of Donnelly's greatest epics! |
Propped like a sentinel from a distant epoch, in the heartland of 'The Curragh', it offers an opening into a piece of Irish sporting lore and history and heritage. (Donnelly himself was buried in Bully's Acre, Kilmainham, Dublin, not too far from where he was born!) and his prized arm was actually severed from his body by a surgeon after grave robbers plundered it! From 1953 to 1996, this arm was exhibited in 'The Hideaway' pub in Kilcullen before taken to America!! One legend attributes the arm as the longest in boxing history, and that he could stretch his arms past his knees without bending his legs!
The Curragh landscape itself is a landscape of pleasant green plains which stretch out like a silk canvas smoothened and iron pressed around Kildare town across to near the Bog of Allen. Legend has it that on Feb 1, the day of the sacred Brigid, that she laid her garment out around Kildare, which mystically formed these plains! It therefore seems fitting that Donnelly's greatest hours took place within these plains and 'The Memorial' to Donnelly is yet another reason to behold their rich texture!
Small wonder the song, 'The Curragh of Kildare' says:
And it's late I will repair
to the Curragh of Kildare
for glad tidings you'll find there!
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| The Plains of Kildare where you'll find glad tidings! |
