Council dismisses criticism of Ali's roots

GORDON DEEGAN

ENNIS TOWN Council has told a historian claiming that Muhammad Ali’s great grand-father, Abe Grady, never set foot in Ireland “to put up or shut up”.

At the council’s November meeting last night, councillors endorsed a motion that historian Seán Spellissy provide documentary proof for his claim Abe Grady did not come from the Turnpike in Ennis, but instead was born in Kentucky in the US. Mr Spellissy is also claiming Ali’s Irish ancestors more than likely came from Crusheen – eight miles north of Ennis.

In September, Ennis grabbed world-wide attention with the visit of the boxing legend to his claimed ancestral home at the Turnpike.

Thousands cheered Ali at the unveiling of a sculpture that reads “to commemorate the visit of the Greatest, Muhammad Ali to the ancestral home of his great-grandfather, Abe Grady”.

At last night’s meeting, Cllr Brian Meaney (Green Party) said: “I believe that Mr Spellissy has no documentary evidence to support his claims. I understand he is basing his claim on a website and the words of some individuals around the Crusheen area. He is being a real killjoy in all of this.”

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) supported the motion, stating the matter should be cleared up.

Prior to last night’s meeting, Mr Spellissy said: “Abe Grady was born in 1865 in Kentucky and there is a birth cert to show that. The council should have done its homework . . . Muhammad Ali is the innocent victim here with people playing around with his genealogy.”

Ennis native and author of 14 books, Mr Spellissy said the Ali statue should have been erected in the parish of Crusheen.