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Hey all,
Found this made on this backpacker’s blog that I sometimes follow… crazy story!! The shit you hear while traveling, I tellz ya lol
what do you think?
WTF
http://www.jacksbackpackingblog.org/blog/14900/northern-ireland-belfast-6/
Jack’s Backpacking Blog
Day 47 – Ireland (cont’)
[This blog entry is for UFC fans, or those who may believe in things like reincarnation. ]
If you travel about 45 minutes west of Belfast, you will find a quaint little town called Donaghmore. I had left the hostel in Belfast early and had made it to Donaghmore before noon, not knowing what to expect. (some really great scenery along the Lough Neagh, I’m sure much more to discover it was lovely).
Tourist map showing thr route from Belfast to Donaghmore
I had forgotten I was wearing an old UFC t-shirt (GSP vs Jake Shields, though I never even saw the show, someone gave it to me), and upon entering Donaghmore I was immediately approached by a man who seemed very excited about it. He asked if I was a fight fan. I said yes. He asked if I had heard of Conor McGregor, and I said of course. Then a twinkle in his eye like something right out of an old Irish ballad, he asks me if I want to know a secret that Donaghmore holds about Conor McGregor. I answer again; ‘of course’.
The man giddily starts leading me down a side street, clearly drunk, though it was only 11 in the morning. I wondered if he was taking me somewhere to rob or shank me but he seemed so harmless I figured I could handle him if he got weird.
Donagmore, N Ireland
He took me to a local pub called ‘O'Loclainn’, but explained with a seriousness that the people in Donaghmore just called it ‘Lainn’s’. He made it very clear and even asked me to repeat it; ‘Lainn’s’. It was like he was giving me a code word or something. Indeed the pub was tricky to find; we had to go behind some buildings and down a narrow set of stairs. There is no way a tourist like me would ever this place from the main streets. Maybe that was the idea. And if you asked where to find the ‘O’Loclainn’ pub, they wouldn’t tell you. You had to ask for ‘Lainn’s’. And here I was.
'Lainn's Pub', Donagmore, N Ireland
A nice pub, nothing fancy. Though at 11 in the morning it was almost empty so I’m afraid I wouldn’t get to see its real charm. But the man assured me that there was something special here indeed. He introduced me to the owner, Libby O’Dell, as friendly an Irish lass as you’re likely to meet. He asked if he could tell me the story, and she agreed but only if she was present to make sure he was telling it right.
'Lainn's Pub', Donagmore, N Ireland
Libby O'Dell, owner of Lainn's pub. (The other man did not want to be photgraphed, I think it was because his teeth were really terrible
)
Apparently her father Mike 'Paddy' O'Dell, the previous owner of the pub, was a big boxing fan. If you go down to the basement of Lainn’s, you will find a wall of old photos and memorabilia of Irish boxing history.
Basement floor of Lainn's pub
Wall of Irish boxing photos & memorabilia
Many of these photos are of a boxer named Connor McGregor (with two ‘n’s not one).
Connor McGregor was born in 1922 in Donaghmore County. Famed with being the toughest kid outside Belfast, he grew up to be a fierce boxer in his early 20’s. For a short time just before the war broke out, McGregor was on his way to becoming a big star, winning all his fights in brutal fashion and defeating several top names in his climbing of the ranks. They said he was a great talker and could make the crowds laugh and cheer like no other.
Young Connor McGregor, Donaghmore County Ireland, 1934
Connor McGregor, 1939
Irish Newspaper clipping, 1944
Connor McGregor in his prime, 1945
But then tragedy struck as McGregor developed a severe medical condition in his sinuses that caused his nose to swell and made it impossible to breathe properly for boxing. This ruined his fighting career, but it also got him out of service when WWII broke out. Regardless, McGregor would die soon after.
Or did he?
Rumors spread of his death; some say he got drunk one night and crashed his car into a river. Others say he was murdered for revenge of a recent fight he’d won. Regardless, the legend of Connor McGregor faded, having never become a champion. Only a few photos in the basement of Lainn’s would survive.
Signed photo of Connor McGregor to Mike 'Paddy' O'Dell (RIP)
But then one night, 41 years later, at Lainn’s pub, a man showed up for a pint, claiming to be that very same Connor McGregor!
Few believed him, though many agreed that aside from a huge swollen nose and 41 years of aging, that he was a spitting image of the photos on the wall. He would live the rest of his days in Donaghmore getting drunk at Lainn’s pub, telling his fantastic story to all who would listen until his very last drink.
“He said that he DID die that night, but that he was rescued and brought back to life by an Irish Faerie.” O’Dell explained to me.
Yes, an Irish Faerie. Like with wings and everything. I was surprised that this somehow seemed commonplace to these people so I made like I believed it too. “Connor would tell that the Faerie offered him a wish, and that Connor wished to be the most famous fighter in the world. The Faerie told him she couldn’t grant this wish in this life, but she could promise him he could have it in his next life,” the man explained.
“He would go on and on every night, telling us all how it would be, how the Faerie promised him that in his next life he would become the richest and most famous fighter the world has ever seen.” Libby went on. “He would say he would grow a big proud beard, and get a huge tattoo of a gorilla on his chest!” They laughed heartily, reminding me diligently that the current Conor McGregor (with one ‘n’) has a beard and a tattoo of a gorilla on his chest. They said he was a gentle man, but one night when some boys from Cork were causing trouble, Connor boxed them all out with ease even though he was over 60 years of age, adding to the credibility of his tale for many.
I asked what else they could tell me about him, and they suddenly became somber. They said he was kind, loved his drink, and aside from his prophecies of his next life he was always passionate about the British Occupation, and would sing Rebel Songs quietly to himself the drunker he got, even though most of them were illegal to sing in Northern Ireland. They said when he would be born again, if Ireland wasn’t yet free he wanted to be born near Dublin, not Belfast, and that he would be so famous that he might use his power to free Ireland once and for all.
Connor McGregor the fighter officially died in 1946 at the age of 24.
But Connor McGregor, from Lainn’s pub in Donaghmore County Ireland, died in 1987 at the age of 65.
Connor McGregor, less than a year before his death, 1987
Less than a year later in Dublin, Conor McGregor, currently the richest and most famous fighter the world has ever seen, was born.
...and Connor McGregor from Lainn's pub, with 2 'n's not one, predicted deez t'ings.
Found this made on this backpacker’s blog that I sometimes follow… crazy story!! The shit you hear while traveling, I tellz ya lol
what do you think?
WTF
http://www.jacksbackpackingblog.org/blog/14900/northern-ireland-belfast-6/
Jack’s Backpacking Blog
Day 47 – Ireland (cont’)
[This blog entry is for UFC fans, or those who may believe in things like reincarnation. ]
If you travel about 45 minutes west of Belfast, you will find a quaint little town called Donaghmore. I had left the hostel in Belfast early and had made it to Donaghmore before noon, not knowing what to expect. (some really great scenery along the Lough Neagh, I’m sure much more to discover it was lovely).
Tourist map showing thr route from Belfast to Donaghmore
I had forgotten I was wearing an old UFC t-shirt (GSP vs Jake Shields, though I never even saw the show, someone gave it to me), and upon entering Donaghmore I was immediately approached by a man who seemed very excited about it. He asked if I was a fight fan. I said yes. He asked if I had heard of Conor McGregor, and I said of course. Then a twinkle in his eye like something right out of an old Irish ballad, he asks me if I want to know a secret that Donaghmore holds about Conor McGregor. I answer again; ‘of course’.
The man giddily starts leading me down a side street, clearly drunk, though it was only 11 in the morning. I wondered if he was taking me somewhere to rob or shank me but he seemed so harmless I figured I could handle him if he got weird.
Donagmore, N Ireland
He took me to a local pub called ‘O'Loclainn’, but explained with a seriousness that the people in Donaghmore just called it ‘Lainn’s’. He made it very clear and even asked me to repeat it; ‘Lainn’s’. It was like he was giving me a code word or something. Indeed the pub was tricky to find; we had to go behind some buildings and down a narrow set of stairs. There is no way a tourist like me would ever this place from the main streets. Maybe that was the idea. And if you asked where to find the ‘O’Loclainn’ pub, they wouldn’t tell you. You had to ask for ‘Lainn’s’. And here I was.
'Lainn's Pub', Donagmore, N Ireland
A nice pub, nothing fancy. Though at 11 in the morning it was almost empty so I’m afraid I wouldn’t get to see its real charm. But the man assured me that there was something special here indeed. He introduced me to the owner, Libby O’Dell, as friendly an Irish lass as you’re likely to meet. He asked if he could tell me the story, and she agreed but only if she was present to make sure he was telling it right.
'Lainn's Pub', Donagmore, N Ireland
Libby O'Dell, owner of Lainn's pub. (The other man did not want to be photgraphed, I think it was because his teeth were really terrible
)Apparently her father Mike 'Paddy' O'Dell, the previous owner of the pub, was a big boxing fan. If you go down to the basement of Lainn’s, you will find a wall of old photos and memorabilia of Irish boxing history.
Basement floor of Lainn's pub
Wall of Irish boxing photos & memorabilia
Many of these photos are of a boxer named Connor McGregor (with two ‘n’s not one).
Connor McGregor was born in 1922 in Donaghmore County. Famed with being the toughest kid outside Belfast, he grew up to be a fierce boxer in his early 20’s. For a short time just before the war broke out, McGregor was on his way to becoming a big star, winning all his fights in brutal fashion and defeating several top names in his climbing of the ranks. They said he was a great talker and could make the crowds laugh and cheer like no other.
Young Connor McGregor, Donaghmore County Ireland, 1934
Connor McGregor, 1939
Irish Newspaper clipping, 1944
Connor McGregor in his prime, 1945
But then tragedy struck as McGregor developed a severe medical condition in his sinuses that caused his nose to swell and made it impossible to breathe properly for boxing. This ruined his fighting career, but it also got him out of service when WWII broke out. Regardless, McGregor would die soon after.
Or did he?
Rumors spread of his death; some say he got drunk one night and crashed his car into a river. Others say he was murdered for revenge of a recent fight he’d won. Regardless, the legend of Connor McGregor faded, having never become a champion. Only a few photos in the basement of Lainn’s would survive.
Signed photo of Connor McGregor to Mike 'Paddy' O'Dell (RIP)
But then one night, 41 years later, at Lainn’s pub, a man showed up for a pint, claiming to be that very same Connor McGregor!
Few believed him, though many agreed that aside from a huge swollen nose and 41 years of aging, that he was a spitting image of the photos on the wall. He would live the rest of his days in Donaghmore getting drunk at Lainn’s pub, telling his fantastic story to all who would listen until his very last drink.
“He said that he DID die that night, but that he was rescued and brought back to life by an Irish Faerie.” O’Dell explained to me.
Yes, an Irish Faerie. Like with wings and everything. I was surprised that this somehow seemed commonplace to these people so I made like I believed it too. “Connor would tell that the Faerie offered him a wish, and that Connor wished to be the most famous fighter in the world. The Faerie told him she couldn’t grant this wish in this life, but she could promise him he could have it in his next life,” the man explained.
“He would go on and on every night, telling us all how it would be, how the Faerie promised him that in his next life he would become the richest and most famous fighter the world has ever seen.” Libby went on. “He would say he would grow a big proud beard, and get a huge tattoo of a gorilla on his chest!” They laughed heartily, reminding me diligently that the current Conor McGregor (with one ‘n’) has a beard and a tattoo of a gorilla on his chest. They said he was a gentle man, but one night when some boys from Cork were causing trouble, Connor boxed them all out with ease even though he was over 60 years of age, adding to the credibility of his tale for many.
I asked what else they could tell me about him, and they suddenly became somber. They said he was kind, loved his drink, and aside from his prophecies of his next life he was always passionate about the British Occupation, and would sing Rebel Songs quietly to himself the drunker he got, even though most of them were illegal to sing in Northern Ireland. They said when he would be born again, if Ireland wasn’t yet free he wanted to be born near Dublin, not Belfast, and that he would be so famous that he might use his power to free Ireland once and for all.
Connor McGregor the fighter officially died in 1946 at the age of 24.
But Connor McGregor, from Lainn’s pub in Donaghmore County Ireland, died in 1987 at the age of 65.
Connor McGregor, less than a year before his death, 1987
Less than a year later in Dublin, Conor McGregor, currently the richest and most famous fighter the world has ever seen, was born.
...and Connor McGregor from Lainn's pub, with 2 'n's not one, predicted deez t'ings.
