Dan Donnelly was Ireland’s first bare-knuckled boxing champion. He became a legend in 1815 when he defeated British heavyweight George Cooper, breaking George’s jaw in a no-holds barred brawl. Fans literalling kept the ground he walked on as souvenirs.
Donnelly’s mummified right arm (he was a righty) is now in New York City where it can be seen at Irish Arts Center at 553 W. 51st Street, starting tomorrow (til Nov. 30. The exhibit is called Fighting Irishmen: A Celebration of the Celtic Warrior. Though not as eye catching as the arm, you can see other artifacts like John L. Sullivan’s fur coat (was John a dandy?) & Jack Dempsey’s blazer.
A little history on the famous arm. After his rise to fame, Dan was knighted by King George IV. Dan enjoyed his success by opening a succesful pub. Unfortunately, what savage boxing matches could not do, the bottle did. He died a drunk at age 32. An enterprising doctor removed the arm from dear Dan’s corpse and preserved it. The arm then traveled the anatomy circles in medical universities until finally settling down, where else, in an Irish pub called the Hideout in Kilcullen, Co Kildaire Ireland. It was proudly displayed in a glass case so any patron could raise their glass in homage.
Sources: modbee.com, New York Magazine, August 21, 2006; superboxing.com; The Genealogue; East Side Boxing.
For more about Dan Donnelly: superboxing.com
Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross… but I think I feel a blog about local Irish Pubs coming on…(on my blog….)
will drinks be served ?
As you know, marketing is a matter of getting attention & shock value has always worked.
-jf