A request for the heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali to meet President Éamon de Valera in 1972 was turned down by Áras an Uachtaráin because a visit from such a "boastful, bombastic" individual would be inappropriate, writes Deaglán de Bréadún.
Ali, whose motto was "I am the greatest", had come to Ireland for a boxing match at Croke Park with Al "Blue" Lewis and visited the Taoiseach of the day, Jack Lynch.
On arrival at Dublin Airport, the fighter told the press corps: "It's hard to be humble when you're as good as I am."
Brandishing an oversized shillelagh, he demonstrated how he would defeat his opponent in the ring.
It was too much for the President's office and one of his staff wrote in an official memo: "Ní shílim gur chóir fear bladhmannach mar Ali a bheith ag teacht chun an Uachtaráin (I don't think it is appropriate for a boastful, bombastic man such as Ali to be visiting the President)." But despite being turned down by "Dev", Ali won the contest with Lewis, which was stopped in the 11th round.