The Irish have always been famous for letting their fists do the talking and those who did it best are now being honoured at the American Folk Park in Omagh.

Former World champion Barry McGuigan opened the six-month exhibition 'Fighting Irishmen' which has travelled all the way from its home in New York and it is quite spectacular in it's presentation and wealth of memorabilia.

From bare knuckle fighter Dan Donnelly's mummified right arm to Wayne McCullough's World title winning shorts and so much more in between this is a must for not only boxing fans, but those who can appreciate the struggle of a man from this island bidding to make his way in life.

McGuigan along with former professional and amateur champions Hugh Russell, Davy Larmour, John McNally, Jim McCourt and Paul McCloskey were there to see the exhibit and ponder the ghosts that lay behind the many shorts, gloves and gowns on display.

McGuigan, whose passion for the sport remains, said he was "honoured" to be asked to open the exhibition, while undefeated McCloskey marvelled at the sheer grit of those who had gone before.

"Fighters complain nowadays, but back then you could imagine some fighting for a pat on the back and the suggestion they would get paid next time!" said McCloskey.

McGuigan recalled the time he headed to the States in search of quality sparring — an experience he would never forget.

"John Collins, who was a good fighter at the time, was in Chicago and we went out there and I had sparring with Mexicans,” said McGuigan.

“There was no hero status there. Every day 30 guys were baying for my blood, but we went to the Irish community, to different civic centres and that was fantastic. I fought 12 times on American television and I was on terrestrial television, ABC and CBS ten times and it was huge stuff at the time."

As for the exhibition, which he opened in 2005 in the States with honourary chairman actor Liam Neeson, McGuigan added: "It's fantastic and it couldn't be in a better place than the American

Folk Park because so many from the famine, before and after, headed to the States.

"We were a downtrodden people, low self esteem. Boxing gave us self-respect, dignity and made us famous. Although the upper classes pretended they weren’t interested they loved boxing.

“John L Sullivan was a massive hero and then you had Jack Dempsey, Tommy McGovern, Gene Tunney and we have a lot to thank Jim Houlihan for working so hard to bring it here.

"It's great that London 2012 have backed it as well as part of their Inspire programme and I just hope that many, many people come to see it."

Meanwhile, the purse bids for Dungiven man McCloskey’s vacant European light-welterweight title fight with Frenchman Souleymane M’Baye are opened today at the EBU headquarters in Italy.

The French promoters are favourites to win the rights to stage the fight even though Barry Hearn’s Matchroom Promotions will be bidding to stage the fight in Belfast.