Details of Muhammad Ali visit to County Clare are confirmed
Date issued: 18th August 2009
Members of Ennis Town Council have unanimously passed a motion that will see boxing legend Muhammad Ali being named as the first Honorary Freeman of the Clare County Capital.
The former world heavyweight champion, now 67 and fighting Parkinson's disease, will visit the birthplace of his great grandfather during the afternoon of Tuesday, 1 September 2009.
A Civic Reception, the highest honour that a Local Authority can give, will take place in Waterpark House, Drumbiggle, at 3pm before Ali embarks on a drive throughout the town and the birthplace of his great grandfather.
Ennis Town Council has confirmed it is working with Sports Academy International to host a public open-air event in the centre of Ennis for the duration of the visit. Members of the public will be able to view the Civic Reception on the Big Screen along with enjoying live music and entertainment. Ennis Town Council will also be hosting an exhibition of Muhammad Ali memorabilia along with street entertainment throughout the town.
Ali's ancestor Abe Grady emigrated from his home on the Turnpike Road in Ennis to the United States in the 1860s. Grady sailed from Cappa Harbour in Kilrush, County Clare, eventually settling in Kentucky, where he married an African-American woman. Their son also married an African-American and one of the daughters of that union was Ali's mother, named Odessa Lee Grady. She married Cassius Clay, senior, and they settled in Louisville, where their son was initially given his father's name on his birth in 1942. He later changed his name to Muhammad Ali when he converted to the Nation of Islam after winning the world title in 1964.
Mayor of Ennis Cllr Frankie Neylon explained: "Ennis Town Council has decided to make Ali an Honorary Freeman in recognition of his direct links with Ennis and the county of Clare, his unrivalled sporting achievements on the world stage, and his contribution to educational and charitable causes through his global fundraising foundation."
The Mayor continued: "The public and media interest that has been generated by this planned visit has been immense and I believe that the publicity surrounding it will result in thousands of additional visitors to the town.
I have no doubt that the people of Clare will turn out in huge numbers to welcome Muhammad Ali and that the boxer himself will thoroughly enjoy his visit to the Ireland's Banner County."
Muhammad Ali's visit to Ireland, which includes his attendance at a charity event in Dublin, is being organised by Alltech Biotechnology in conjunction with the Alltech Muhammad Ali Center Global Education and Charitable Fund.
Sonraí daingnithe i gcomhair Cuairt Muhammed Ali ar Chontae an Chláir
Ghlac baill Chomhairle Baile na hInse le rún d’aon ghuth a bheidh mar thoradh aige ná go mbronnfaí an chéad Ghradam Saoránach Oinigh phríomhbhaile an Chláir ar Mhumammed Ali.
Tabharfaidh an t-iar-churadh throm-mheacháin, a bhfuil 67 bliain d’aois aige agus a bhfuil galar Parkinson aige, cuairt ar áit bhreithe a shin-seanathair le linn tráthnóna Dé Máirt, an 1 Meán Fómhair, 2009.
Tionólfar Fáiltiú Cathartha, an ónóir is airde gur féidir Údarás Áitiúil a bhronnadh, i dTeach Pháirc an Uisce, Drom Bigil, ar 3.00i.n. roimh turas trí a dhéanamh tríd an bhaile agus cuairt a thabhairt ar áit bhreithe a shin-seanathair.
Dhaingnigh Comhairle Baile na hInse go bhfuil siad ag obair le Sports Academy International chun imeacht faoin aeir don phobal a thionóladh i lár Bhaile na hInse ar feadh tréimhse na cuairte. Beidh baill an phobail in ann an Fáiltiú Cathartha a fheiceáil ar scáileán mór le linn sult a bhaint as cheol agus siamsaíocht bheo. Chomh maith leis sin, tionólfaidh Comhairle Baile na hInse taispeántas de rudaí a bhaineann le Muhammad Ali, chomh maith le siamsaíocht sráide, tríd an Bhaile.
Chuaigh sinsearach Ali, Abe Grady, ar eisimirce óna bhaile ar Bhóthar na Píce in Inis chuig na Stáit Aontaithe sna 1860idí. Chuaigh Grady ó Chun na Ceapaí i gCill Rois, Co. an Chláir, agus shocraigh sé i Kentucky, an áit inar pósadh le bean Afracach – Meiriceánach. Pósadh a mac le bean Afracach – Meiriceánach agus ba iníon an pósadh sin, darbh ainm Odessa Lee Grady í máthair Ali. Phós sí Cassius Clay, sínsear, agus lonnaigh siad i Louisville, agus in 1942 baisteadh Cassius Clay ar a mac, agus ba é sin ainm a athair. D’athraigh sé a ainm go Muhammed Ali nuair a thiontaigh sé go chré Ioslaim i ndiaidh an Teideal Domhanda a bhaint amach sa bhliainn 1964.
Mhínigh Méara na hInse, An Comh. Frankie Neylon: "Bheartaigh Comhairle Baile na hInse Gradam Saoránach oinigh a bhronnadh ar Ali mar aitheantas ar na nascanna díreacha atá aige le Baile na hInse agus le Contae an Chláir, ar a chuid sár-éachtaí spóirt ar an stáitse domhanda agus ar a rannpháirtíocht i dtaobh oideachais agus cúiseanna carthanactha tríd a fhoras domhanda um airgead a thiomsú."
Lean sé ar aghaidh: "Tá suim ollmhór ag an bpobal agus ag na meáin i dtaobh na cuairte seo, agus sílim go dtiocfaidh na mílte cuairteoirí breise go dtí an bhaile de bharr an bhfeachtais bolscaireachta a bhaineann leí.
Táim cinnte go mbeidh na sluaite daoine ó Chontae an Chláir i láthair chun fáilte a chur roimh Muhammad Ali, agus go mbainfidh an dornálaí é féin sult as a thuras chuig Contae na mBratach."
Tá cuairt Mhummad Ali go hÉireann agus é a bheith i láthair ag imeacht carthanachta á eagrú ag Alltech Biotechnology i gcomhar leis an Ionad um Oideachas Domhanda agus an Ciste Carthanachta Alltech-Muhammed Ali.