Legendary Irish warrior has statue erected in his memory this week.
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Standing only 5 feet 3 inches tall, Joseph “Rinty” Monaghan was a boxing giant in his home town of Belfast, a local hero and indeed Irish boxing hero – a fact now recognised with the unveiling of a statute in his honour.
The bronze 10 feet statute was commissioned by Belfast City Council and made in Edinburgh. The sculpture of Belfast’s first world boxing champion depicted him in classic post-fight celebration, with one hand raised and the other holding a microphone singing, “When Irish eyes are Smiling”.
It was unveiled in north Belfast in front of family, friends and admirers, and a certain current world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton.
Colette Pill, Monaghan’s daughter, said: “We are so proud that our daddy has finally been honoured by his home city with this marvellous sculpture.”
Here at Boxing News and Views, we decided there would be perhaps be no more better way to pay tribute to “Rinty” than reciting a verse from his favourite song, “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” by Chauncey Olcott:
“When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure ’tis like a morn in spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright and gay,
And When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure, they steal your heart away.”
(Image credit: Newsletter.co.uk)
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