Geldof and Delany awarded freedom of Dublin

THE fastest legs and biggest mouth in Ireland were honoured yesterday as their respective owners were made freemen of their native city.

Ronnie Delany, known for his explosive running speed, and Bob Geldof, famed for his incendiary speeches, can both now graze sheep on St Stephen’s Green and marry without a licence from the king thanks to the ancient ceremony, revived by Dublin City Council.

The 1956 Olympic gold medallist, aged 71 today, and the 54-year-old rock star and anti-poverty campaigner, together became the 73rd and 74th recipients of the honour, joining a list that includes Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Bill Clinton and U2.

For Bob, sharing a stage with Ronnie was itself awe-inspiring. Recalling how he used to race after the 7A bus with the conductor hanging out the door, taunting him with cries of: “Look, it’s Ronnie effin’ Delany,” Bob said he felt overwhelmed to be on stage with “a man who was an expression”.

That was until he went shopping with youngest daughter, Tiger, yesterday and witnessed a father fending off pleas from his young child to get her more sweets with the retort: “Do you think I’m Bob Geldof?” “We meet on equal terms,” Bob winked at Ronnie.

Ronnie had his own tale to tell of fame. A man once sidled up to him and queried if he was the real Ronnie Delany. On confirmation he had found the great man, the stranger announced: “I never seen anyone get so much mileage out of winning a medal.”

“He was not far from the truth,” said Ronnie, whose achievements are unrivalled in Ireland in the 50 years since his Melbourne Olympic win.

Ronnie remembered leaving Ireland in the depressed 1950s, fearing he might never return, and Bob recalling running away in the repressed 1970s, fearing he might have to come back.

Both men spoke of a city and country changed massively and for the better.

Bob couldn’t keep it all inside, however. Referring to the drought threatening millions in Kenya, he noted there was also a hose-pipe ban in Kent where he actually does graze a small flock sheep. “In Kent we don’t die of drought. People do die of drought in Africa because they are poor.”