Pierce O'Leary - Sheriff of Dublin, Part 1

This week we're in Sheriff Street in Dublin's capital for Part 1 of an interview with local hero Pierce O'Leary. We take a walk around with unbeaten world title hopeful Big Bang while he spends some time at home between fight dates. Pierce talks about his love for the community, the pride he feels for the area and the drive it gives him to dig deep in his toughest battles. Once the bustling heartland of Dublin's Docklands, industrialisation took its toll and the area became run-down and crime-ridden. To outsiders, the name Sheriff Street became synonymous with lawlessness and criminality - but the community has always stuck together and produced people who've made a significant contribution to Ireland, from Sean O'Casey to Luke Kelly to Jim Sheridan, along with boxing idols like previous podcast guest Gus Farrell and now O'Leary. As we walk around, it's hard to ignore the rapid pace of development in the Docklands. It's changed even since Pierce was a kid and it's not been without controversy. Locals have voiced concern about the loss of community identity, lack of affordable housing, threat of gentrification and the prioritisation of commercial interests over community needs. They fight for the area and they also support their fighters, as witnessed by the celebrations up the road on Killarney Street when another north inner city boxer, Kellie Harrington, brought home her second Olympic gold medal from Paris. We finish up at the statue of Luke Kelly which sits beside the Royal Canal before it enters the Liffey and Pierce allows himself to dream of a statue of himself there beside the Dubliner. Stay tuned for Part 2 where Pierce discusses his dream fights, beating Darragh Foley last time out in a derby bout, boxing while sick with food poisoning and his enduring love for horses, which has been handed down through the generations on Sheriff Street. 

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