Restrictions likely for visit of Ali to Ennis, says mayor

THE MAYOR of Ennis yesterday conceded that due to restrictions, the forthcoming visit of Muhammad Ali to Ennis will not be an occasion to shake hands or have your photograph taken with the boxing legend.

At a special meeting of Ennis Town Council yesterday to discuss the visit, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said that due to the restrictions the partners of the town’s nine councillors will not be able to attend the upcoming civic reception for Ali.

Mr Neylon said that he expects between 60,000 to 70,000 people to visit Ennis to mark Ali’s September 1st visit to his ancestral home.

Mr Neylon also confirmed that Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Minister for Sport Martin Cullen have expressed an interest to be present at the civic reception where Ali will be made a freeman of Ennis.

Mr Neylon told councillors it was just impossible that their partners will be able to attend the Ali civic reception due to severe restrictions on numbers. He said: “It is going to be that tight.”

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) proposed that the leaders of the Opposition be invited to attend the reception, however. Mr Neylon said if councillors from those parties wanted to absent themselves from the reception to allow their leaders attend, they could do so.

Asked at the scale of the restrictions for Ali’s visit, Ennis Town Manager Ger Dollard said: “The restrictions we are talking about is a minimum number of people and a minimum amount of time.”

The three-time world champion has battled with Parkinson’s disease for a number of years and Mr Dollard said that due to Muhammad Ali’s personal health, the organisation bringing him to Ireland are very protective of him and want nothing detrimental to happen to him while he is here.

He said: “They don’t want crowds and it won’t be possible to shake his hand and it won’t be possible to have your photograph taken with him.”

Mr Neylon said that the visit “will be an opportunity for Ennis to showcase itself to the world”.

Mr Dollard said that Ali is due to arrive at Shannon airport at 2.30pm on September 1st and he will then travel to Ennis Town Council’s HQ for the civic reception where he will be made an honorary freeman of Ennis.

After the reception, Ali will be driven in a cavalcade through the streets of Ennis to the Turnpike area where his great grandfather, Abe Grady, emigrated from in the 1860s.