John Lawrence Sullivan, born to Irish immigrants on October 15, 1858, in Roxbury, Massachusetts, grew into an embodiment of the American Dream for many Irish Americans. His parents, survivors of the Great Hunger in Ireland, instilled in him a profound sense of identity and resilience. Though he was an excellent student and his parents aspired for him to attend Boston College and become a priest, destiny had a different plan for Sullivan. Lured by the raw appeal of professional sports, Sullivan found his true calling in boxing, a sport then shadowed by legal ambiguities and often relegated to “exhibitions” or clandestine bouts.
Sullivan’s rise from local fame to national celebrity was meteoric. In one fight, his opponent failed to show, and to quell the restless crowd, Sullivan issued a challenge that became his trademark, “I can lick any man in the house.” This became not just Sullivan’s trademark but a symbol of Irish-American defiance and determination. Through a series of exhibition matches and high-profile bouts, including a legendary encounter with Paddy Ryan in Mississippi, Sullivan’s fists wrote chapters of boxing history. His victory over Ryan, witnessed by figures as diverse as Oscar Wilde and Jessie and Frank James, cemented his status as a champion of the people.
Sullivan’s reign as the Heavyweight Champion brought boxing to the forefront of American sports, making him the nation’s first sports superstar. Leveraging his “I can lick any man in the house” boast, he made a whirlwind of 200 stops across the United States, showcasing his unparalleled strength and skill, endearing him further to an adoring public. Boxing historian Nate Fleisher has observed, “For the first time in their lives, Americans living in the sticks — nearly four hundred thousand American farmers, miners, lumberjacks, artisans, and clerks — laid down their hard-earned cash to see a real boxer in action. They loved it, and the effect of their gratification on the growth and spread of boxing is beyond calculation today.”
Yet, Sullivan was more than a mere athlete; he was a cultural icon, reflecting the grit and determination of the Irish American community still struggling to overcome prejudice and find their place in American society. Such was his fame that to be able to say, “Shake the hand of the man who shook the hand of John L. Sullivan,” brought its own notoriety.
Sullivan never forgot where he came from. In a story that further enhanced his renown in the Irish community, it was said that he refused to stand for the traditional toast to Queen Victoria while attending a dinner in his honor in Victoria, British Columbia. Sullivan stated he “hadn’t been brought up to seeing Irishmen drinking to the health of English monarchs,” he informed the shocked dinner guests.
However, time and age give athletes no special consideration. Add to this that in a phenomenon we see repeated among many modern athletes, Sullivan liked to party, and it became increasingly difficult for him to get in shape. The fight against “Gentleman Jim” Corbett in 1892 highlighted the end of an era and showcased how far boxing had developed under Corbett. No longer were fights held secretly in the dark backroom of a saloon; this fight was held under the glare of the new electric light and the eyes of over 10,000 spectators and reported worldwide. The aging champion and brute strength brawler Sullivan met his match in the younger, more agile, more scientific Corbett. While clearly past his prime and suffering a broken nose in an early round that constrained his breathing, Sullivan persevered until the last of the 21 scheduled rounds where he was knocked out.
However, even in defeat, Sullivan added to his legacy for the graciousness he accepted, “Gentlemen, all I have to say is that I came into the ring once too often, and if I had to get licked, I’m glad it was by an American.” Sullivan’s grace in defeat, acknowledging Corbett’s victory as a passing of the torch to a fellow American, exemplified his character.
John L. Sullivan’s legacy is not merely confined to his boxing achievements; it is interwoven with the narrative of Irish-American struggle, perseverance, and success. His life story, from the streets of Roxbury to the heights of boxing fame, resonates with the spirit of a community that literally and metaphorically fought to carve out a place in America. Sullivan’s journey embodies the complexities of the American Dream, reminding us that heroes are not defined by their victories alone but by their ability to inspire, persevere, and stand with dignity and pride regardless of the outcome.
Thousands of Sullivans / O’Sullivans descending on West Cork for world record attempt
Will the Sullivans beat the Gallaghers? A Guinness World Record attempt will be made on Saturday, May 30 in West Cork as part of a massive clan gathering.
May 29, 2026
More than 3,350 people with the surname Sullivan or O’Sullivan have registered to take part in a world record attempt in Castletownbere, Co Cork, this Saturday, May 30.
The record? The largest gathering of people with the same surname.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the current Guinness World Record was set in Ireland when 1,488 Gallaghers gathered in Letterkenny, Co Donegal in 2007.
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On Saturday, registration for the world record attempt will be held from 1:30 pm at Beara Community School, though registration is also open online. Participants will need to show their birth certificate, passport, or driver’s license. Married names and maiden names are both acceptable.
At 3 pm, two pipers will lead participants to the Beara Community School pitch for the final count.
After a few short speeches, celebrations will get underway with music and Irish dance performances, and letters will be presented for a time capsule, which is set to be opened in 25 years. Dancing at the Sports Hall will follow.
Last weekend, the votes were counted in two by-elections (special elections). One in Dublin Central, an urban constituency, and the other in Galway West, comprising Galway City and a vast tract of rural Gaeltacht.
It was a disappointing election, as Sinn Féin finished second in Dublin to the Social Democrats and down the field in Galway, with the seat going to one of the government parties, Fine Gael.
Two different constituencies returning Centre-Left and Centre-Right candidates. I say disappointing, as I believe neither will deliver the kind of new and united Ireland that the people so desperately need and desire. But that is democracy.
I am always mindful of President Clinton’s words: “The American people have spoken—but it’s going to take a little while to determine exactly what they said.”
While it is always interesting to try to guess, it is dangerous to draw conclusions from two vastly different constituencies, where hyper-local candidates and issues can skew results but not have an impact on a national scale. It would be like comparing a district in Massachusetts to one in New Mexico or a riding in Quebec to one in Alberta.
Elections in Ireland use proportional representation. A voter ranks their candidates in order of preference. In these elections, Sinn Féin sought to win seats and also support other left-wing parties. A first preference for Sinn Féin, then encouraging voters to give preferences to other left-wing candidates.
In the Galway election, when the Sinn Féin candidate was eliminated, 75% of his transferable votes went to parties and independent candidates on the left, and 25% to a rural party. The battle for the seat was between a centre-right candidate of Fine Gael and the rural party candidate of Independent Ireland.
In the final round of vote counting, it was the left-leaning parties’ votes that elected the centre-right candidate. This was not a surprise, as the Irish Labour Party had supported Fine Gael in previous Governments.
In Dublin, the election battle was between left-wing parties, with the Sinn Féin candidate taking second place to the Social Democrats after nine rounds of transfers.
This result meant that, for the first time in history, the constituency has no representative from the government parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
The votes across both constituencies vary dramatically. Looking at the winning parties, Fine Gael got 20% in Galway and 10.7% in Dublin, while the Social Democrats got 19.7% in Dublin and 7% in Galway. Independent Ireland did not contest the election in Dublin.
However, over time, trends become a little more clear. In 2007, Fianna Fail got 44% of the vote in Dublin and is now at 4%. In Galway, over the same period, their vote has collapsed from 37% to 9%. Sinn Féin’s vote has more than doubled, returning TDs in both constituencies.
Until very recently, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael controlled both government and opposition, and they could rely on smaller left parties to make up the numbers. That is no longer the case. Across the state, polls indicate that Sinn Féin has made up ground and is now the largest party, while support for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael has fallen.
The by-election results offer an important snapshot of opinion in two very different constituencies and two very different sets of results. The analysis of what the people have said will take some time to work out.
Have a great weekend.
Is mise,
Ciarán
Ciarán Quinn is the Sinn Féin Representative to North America
On this day in 1798, the United Irishmen rose in rebellion against British rule in Ireland and For A New Irish Republic based on the principles of civil, political and religious liberty. #UnitedIrishmen
These principles, as espoused by the United Irishmen, remain central pillars of Irish Republicanism to this very day.
The ideals of the United Irishmen were at the forefront of many progressive international movements of the time.
In a Europe dominated by absolutist monarchies, untouchable aristocrats and the remnants of feudalism – Republicanism gave ordinary people a vision of a world free from this injustice.
The rebellion itself suffered a major setback at the outset due to the nefarious influence of pro-British informers. This led to the arrest of United Irishmen leaders in Dublin, along with causing significant confusion.
Nevertheless, the rebellion began in earnest outside Dublin – with revolutionaries up and down the country playing their part in the fight for Irish freedom.
Today, Éirígí is seeking to build the New Republic that was first fought for in 1798.
