Kellie Harrington's homecoming plans revealed - but statue to Olympic boxer KO'd
Plans are under way to organise a 'gigantic' homecoming on Dublin’s O’Connell Street to celebrate our Olympic athletes.
Olympic gold medallist’s Kellie Harrington and Katie Taylor both KO’d plans for a statue in their hometowns – but Harrington is adamant she wants to walk down her local street and greet fans as part of her lavish homecoming.
Plans are under way to organise a “gigantic” homecoming on Dublin’s O’Connell Street to celebrate our Olympic athletes.
But it is understood Ireland’s champion boxers Harrington and Taylor would be “horrified” if a statue or a plaque was erected in their honour.
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Dublin City Councillor, Nial Ring, said Kellie would be “horrified” at the thoughts of a statue.
“Kellie wouldn’t be allowed to have a statue because our policy in Dublin City Council is you can’t have a statue, a street named after you or a plaque until you’re 20 years dead so that’s the city council’s agreed policy.
“As well as that I think Kellie would, I suspect, be horrified, at the thoughts of a statue.
“Kellie got Freedom of the City, which is the highest honour we could give. That surpasses any statues or plaques or street names. Anything after that I think would be a downgrade and I think Kellie would be of the same opinion.
“I remember at the time, I proposed her for it, she was absolutely thrilled. She couldn’t believe it. There was only 80 or 90 people that have ever been given it.
“Kellie would be happy with a fabulous homecoming and then just get on with her life. She’s itching to get back up to St Vincent's."
And an insider told The Irish Mirror that Bray County Council were happy to consider dedicating a statue to Katie Taylor after there were calls in 2019 to create something that pays tribute to her - but the sportswoman knocked the plans on the head herself.
The insider said: “We get so many calls for a monument for Katie [Taylor]. Katie told us out straight ‘do not put a monument up’.
“She’d be mortified, and she told us out straight ‘do not put a monument up of me anywhere in the town’.”
But a huge homecoming is planned for Ireland’s Olympic sporting heroes.
Councillor Ring said Harrington wants to walk down her local area Portland Row, but only if security allows it.
The former Lord Mayor of Dublin told us: “There will be a huge homecoming that we have to organise. Kellie wants to walk down Portland Row. Now whether that is feasible or not from a crowd safety point of view, we don’t know.
“She wants to walk down it so she can be closer to the people. She was on top of a bus (last time) which is slightly a bit removed, whereas she wants to go along, hug the people and shake hands with the people.
“That’s why she wants that.
“It might be feasible or maybe we’ll source the Pope Mobile,” he said laughing.
Last month, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, James Geoghegan said plans are underway for an enormous homecoming party.
He told us at the time: “What's definitely on the agenda is if we keep doing as well as we are in the Olympics is to have an absolutely gigantic homecoming,” he said.
“I really hope we do continue with the successes that we've had and we can have a massive celebration on O'Connell Street, our main thoroughfare."
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