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The 32 Mount Rushmores | Louth's Greatest Sportspeople

We're going again this week in our attempt to fill the Mount Rushmore of each and every county in...



The 32 Mount Rushmores | Louth...
Football

The 32 Mount Rushmores | Louth's Greatest Sportspeople

We're going again this week in our attempt to fill the Mount Rushmore of each and every county in Ireland with its four greatest sportspeople - and Louth is down for the decision on Wednesday's OTB AM.

The smallest county in Ireland has produced quite a number of extraordinary sporting talents, and it falls on our own Ronan Mullen and The Irish Independent's Dan McDonnell (Dundalk and Ardee men respectively) to make the big calls.

There is no easy way to narrow down a county's sporting achievements to just four faces - but this is county number ten so we are now used to the controversy and debate surrounding some of the picks!

So who deserves their face in granite in the Cooley Mountains? Are they listed below, and if not, who would you pick? Let us know in the comments!

There are a number of famous Louth players who have donned the Republic of Ireland jersey over the years - perhaps none more famously than Steve Staunton.

21 May 1997; Steve Staunton of Republic of Ireland during the FIFA World Cup 1998 Group 8 Qualifying match between Republic of Ireland and Liechtenstein at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. Photo by David Maher/Sportsfile

'Stan' carved out a hugely successful playing career with Liverpool, and earned 102 Irish caps over the course of 14 years. A less successful stint as manager of the national team followed in 2006, but his place in Irish sport could well see him earn his spot on our Louth mountain.

Drogheda's Ian Harte lined out with Leeds United over the course of an excellent playing career, appearing at Elland Road from 1996 to 2004. That period included a run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, while his free-kick prowess helped him to 12 goals in 64 appearances for the Republic of Ireland.

Harte's uncle Gary Kelly is another that has to be in consideration - a cult hero at Leeds United, Kelly made 531 appearances in total for Leeds, being the only player at the Yorkshire outfit to make more than 500 appearances from outside the stewardship of the great Don Revie.

Current Manchester City and Republic of Ireland star Megan Campbell is another from the Wee County who is in with a definite shout of inclusion.

Louth is also a passionate GAA county (just don't mention Meath or 2010). The late Dermot O'Brien may be well known for his céilí  and showband talents as a musician, but in 1957 he captained the county to the All-Ireland senior football title. Ollie Reilly was among the other greats on that Louth side.

Paddy Keenan was an All-Star for his displays during the aforementioned 2010 campaign and has to be in the discussion.

5 June 2010; Louth manager Peter Fitzpatrick celebrates with Paddy Keenan at the end of the game. Leinster GAA Football Senior Championship Quarter-Final, Louth v Kildare, Pairc Tailteann, Navan, Co. Meath. Picture credit: Paul Mohan / SPORTSFILE

And can we include mythological figures on the mountain? If so hurling great Cú Chulainn will be disappointed if he isn't in the long-list.

Louth has also produced a number of rugby stars that have lined out at international level - with the Kearney brothers, Rob and Dave, very much in the reckoning here.

Rob made his Leinster debut back in 2005, and has appeared on British and Irish Lions tours.

In boxing circles Amy Broadhurst is already making waves on the world stage - the 23-year-old from Dundalk will be eyeing up future Olympic Games' in Tokyo and Paris.

Things bode well for Broadhurst if her county's record on that stage are anything to go by - the first Irishwoman to win an Olympic medal was Beatrice Hill-Lowe, who took bronze in archery at the 1908 Summer Games in London.

Drogheda boxer Tony Byrne, or 'Socks' Byrne as he was known, picked up a bronze Olympic medal himself at the 1956 Games in Melbourne in the lightweight division.

31 October 2006; Members of the 1956 Irish Olympics Team, honoured at the Association of Sports Journalists in Ireland Sporting Legends lunch, sponsored by Lucozade Sport, are, bronze medallists, from left, Tony Socks Byrne, Johnny Caldwell and Freddie Gilroy. Radisson Hotel, Dublin. Picture credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE

Louth also has a history of motor racing drivers - including Tommy Byrne, who competed in two Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1982.

And although not a sportsperson himself, the late broadcaster Jimmy Magee is a renowned Louth man and the voice of boxing among other sports in this country for many years. Does he deserve a mention for the top four?

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Who would make your top four? Let us know in the comments! 

Here is Nathan Murphy's selection of Mayo's Mount Rushmore from Episode One!

Here is Colm Boohig's selection of Cork's Mount Rushmore from Episode Two!

Here is Will O'Callaghan and Paul Rouse's selection of Offaly's Mount Rushmore from Episode Three!

Here is Shane Hannon and Gráinne McElwain's selection of Monaghan's Mount Rushmore from Episode Four!

Here is Diarmuid Lyng and Liam Griffin's selection of Wexford's Mount Rushmore from Episode Five!

Here is Neil Treacy and Jack Anderson's selection of Limerick's Mount Rushmore from Episode Six!

Here is Enda Coll and Kieran Cunningham's selection of Donegal's Mount Rushmore from Episode Seven!

Here is Máire-Treasa Nic-Cheallaigh and Michael Lyster's selection of Galway's Mount Rushmore from Episode Eight!

Here is Adrian Barry and Conor Moore's selection of Westmeath's Mount Rushmore from Episode Nine!

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Dave Kearney Gary Kelly Ian Harte Jimmy Magee Louth Louth GAA Mount Rushmore Rob Kearney Steve Staunton