Simon Hewat said he never knew about world heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali’s Irish ancestry.

Hewat, who was born and raised in Dublin, attended the grand opening of “The Fighting Irishmen: Celebrating Celtic Prizefighters 1820-Present” at the McClelland Irish Library in Phoenix last week.

The Scottsdale resident became a member of the library the day before the exhibit’s debut and said he learned new things about his Irish culture.

“Most people associate the Irish with kelly-green leprechauns and beards,” he said. “But this exhibit is the real deal. It represents the real-life history of Irish people in America in a unique way.”

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