Danno Mahony

The family of O’Mahony Mór of Derreenlomane, Ballydehob, certainly lived up to the name given to their sept in ancient times by their fellow clansmen. In 1868 ‘Big Dan’, father of the great wrestler was born. He stood 6ft 5½” and weighed 16½ stone of sheer granite make-up. He was a powerful all-round athlete and had no equal for two decades spanning the turn of the century. His name was a household word.

When Jack McGrath the great American Wrestling Promoter discovered the young giant Danno in the Irish army at the Curragh in November 1934 he was already Irish Wrestling Champion. He had broken all existing army records and had created a whole list of new ones, most of which still stand today.

Though almost 3 inches shorter than his father he had the massive build of a wrestler from his early days, and when he was fully mature weighed over 18 stone in fine fighting trim. He was regarded as the strongest man in the world.

Under the able management of Jack McGrath he began his professional career in America on January 4th 1935, and on the 30th of July of the same year he defeated Ed Don George for the Supreme World title. It was his 55th win out of 55 fights in America. In the following 12 months he defended his title successfully 125 times.

On August 1st 1936 he returned as a champion to Ballydehob. His welcome defied all description for its size and warmth as virtually every house over a wide area descended on the village, swelling the throng that had already come from as far away as Dublin to greet their hero. The event was recorded by Pathe News and you can watch it here (clearer picture), or on the video below.

During his three months at home, and despite a busy schedule including no less than eight successful defenses of his title around the country against opponents from all over the world, he found time to visit his old friends and neighbors. And as the October nights grew longer he sat with them by their firesides and talked of old times with a strange far away look in his steady blue eyes, while Ester his young Irish-American wife of just one year listened with wide eyed interest.

Here in his native environment, and away from the training, wrestling, and the incessant media hounding, she was seeing, probably for the first time, the real man she had married. Danno was now more dear than ever to her, and in the hearts of his people.

Imagine then their grief on that dark day in November 1950 when they followed his coffin to the family plot in Schull Cemetery. He had been killed in a car crash near Portlaoise as he drove from Dublin to Cork. He was only 38 years old. The white marble headstone bears the simple inscription:-

In loving memory of Danno Mahony, Derreenlomane, died November 3rd 1950 R.I.P.

A biography of the famous Danno was published in 1984 and a statue of him has been erected in the centre of Ballydehob by the Ballydehob Danno Memorial Committee.