Posted on 09/01/2009 5:46:05 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
DUBLIN -- Muhammad Ali made a sentimental journey Tuesday to discover his Irish roots, and met distant relatives during celebrations at the local town hall and a nearby castle.
Thousands lined the streets of Ennis, western Ireland, to cheer his motorcade as the three-time heavyweight champion visited the home of his great-grandfather Abe Grady.
Fans adorned streets with red, white and blue bunting and flags, while shop windows competed to display the most impressive posters honoring Ali -- including one tongue-in-cheek portrait of him appearing ready to knock out an unpopular Irish politician.
Ali, who is 67 and battling Parkinson's disease, fought only once in Ireland, knocking out Alvin Lewis at Dublin's Croke Park on July 19, 1972.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
Is there a mosque nearby?
Taking muslim names isn’t only an old Hawaiian christian tradition I guess it’s also an old Irish tradition.
But he transcribed it wrong. It should be "Muhammad O'Li".
Irish seems to be the most popular ancestry that an American can claim, with the possible exception of Jewish. Unlike Ali, I had Irish born grandparents and have a right to an Irish passport and Irish residency and citizenship.
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