Just over ten years ago I shared an unbounded enthusiasm with a good deal of other folk, lay and religious, young and not so young, who like me were concerned for the future of Athy. We came together without any hierarchical structure free from strictures of rules or obligations to talk out ideas and see how we could help challenge the social decline which gripped the town. The group, one of the most successful one I was ever associated with, established a number of projects all of which are still going strong. These included a play school in Castle Park, a monthly newsletter, a community council and a boxing club. I was reminded of that last week by Noel O’Mara on the occasion of the civic reception accorded by Athy Urban District Council for St. Michael’s Boxing Club. Noel who was also a member of that group was given the responsibility of restarting the Boxing Club which had lapsed some years previously. He claims that he was told rather than asked “get it up and running again”. To his credit he undertook the task with an enthusiasm and doggedness which could only lead to success.
He first sought out Dom O’Rourke who had boxed with the original club founded by Fr. Laverty in the 1960’s. Dom’s involvement was crucial as was that of Jimmy Walsh who with Pat Nolan were brought in by Noel at a very early stage to resurrect the Boxing Club. Mount St. Mary’s the former girls national school building opposite Perry’s supermarket was the Boxing Club’s premises for the first few years. Here with Jimmy Walsh as Chairman Noel O’Mara as secretary, Pat Nolan as Treasurer and Dom O’Rourke as trainer, St. Michael’s Boxing Club was reborn with what we now know were incredible results. Early successes for the Club were achieved through two very gifted boxers, Noel Johnson of Dooley’s Terrace and Pat Phelan of Clonmullin.
Today the Club restarted almost ten years ago by Noel O’Mara is the most successful club in the long history of any sport in Athy. Out of the thirty or so active boxing members there are no less than four international boxers. Tommy Sheehan is back from representing Ireland in the European Junior Championships in Birmingham where he reached the Quarter Finals. Patrick Phelan and Jimmy Philips have also represented Ireland at junior level while Gary Sheehan is to travel to Macedonia on the 4th July as an Irish youth international boxer.
The range and number of titles won by boxers from St. Michael’s Club is quite astonishing. Tommy Sheehan has won no less than five All Ireland titles while Patrick Phelan and Gary Sheehan have each won three All Irelands. Roy Sheehan has already won two Irish titles at schoolboy level and Eric Donovan won his first schoolboy All Ireland title earlier this year. Provincial titles have been won by the Club members with an amazing regularity. John Donovan won six consecutive Leinster titles from schoolboy to youth level. James Philips has won five provincial titles and was defeated in four All Ireland finals.
This year has been the Club’s most successful year. No less than four All Ireland titles were won in 1977 by St. Michael’s Club members, Eric Donovan, Roy Sheehan, Gary Sheehan and Tommy Sheehan. The latter three are brothers from Clonmullin and their’s is a unique record in the annals of Irish amateur boxing. Sons of Gerry and Geraldine Sheehan , they have the inspiration of following in the footsteps of a grand uncle from Knocknagoshel in the County of Kerry who was famous as an exponent of bare fist fighting of another era. John Greaney was famed far and wide for his prowess as a County Kerry boxer and his nephew Gerry Sheehan from Millstreet, County Cork is now the proud father of no less than two Irish international boxers and his younger son Roy has already won two All Ireland schoolboy titles.
Dom O’Rourke and Jimmy Walsh are still involved in the Boxing Club and are today ably assisted by Jimmy Walsh, Johnny Fennell, Marie O’Rourke and many others who help out from time to time. The achievements of St. Michael’s Boxing Club have been recognised by the Irish Boxing Authorities who have sanctioned a full international boxing match between Ireland and Canada to be held in the Grove Theatre on the 13th July. I understand this will be the first Senior International boxing match held outside of Dublin and it is fitting that four local club members, James Philips, Tommy Sheehan, John Donovan and Vivien Carroll will box that night in the green singlet of Ireland.
We have been slow in recognising the successes of the men and boys who have brought such great honour to their Club and to their home town of Athy. The recent award of a civic reception by the local town Council for the members of St. Michael’s Boxing Club has been the first step in re-addressing this omission. For the rest of us there is the opportunity of supporting the boxers when they host the international match in the Grove Theatre on the 13th July next. See you there!
Showing posts with label St. Michael's Boxing Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Michael's Boxing Club. Show all posts
Thursday, June 19, 1997
Friday, May 13, 1994
Manchester Irish (1)
Some of the young boxers from the local Boxing Club in Athy travelled to Manchester last weekend at the invitation of the Kildare Association based in that city. The Boxing Tournament between St. Michael's, Athy, and a Manchester selection saw the Athy boys emerging victorious with John Paul Brennan of Greenhills winning the trophy for the best boxer. Tommy Sheehan, John Donovan, Pat Phelan and Jim Philips, all members of St. Michael's Boxing Club, will remember their trip to Manchester for many years.
The Kildare Association in Manchester . owes much to its Chairperson Eileen Brock, formerly Eileen O'Neill of Foxhill, who ably assisted by her husband John has brought together the County Kildare people living in that city. The Tournament held in the Grove, owned by Mayo man Michael Costello, himself a generous supporter of the Kildare Association was attended by a large crowd. Athy was particularly well represented. Brendan Hickey, now fifteen years out of Ireland and formerly of St. Joseph's Terrace, provided generous sponsorship for the Tournament. He is a very successful businessman in Manchester, employing almost 50 people in his heavy machinery business . His brother Willie was also there to cheer on the Athy lads, having taken a night off from his own Public House, The Royal Oak, Openshaw, which he has been running for two and a half years. The entire Athy contingent later returned to the Royal Oak to round off the night in style. With the guitar playing of Jimmy Aspel, nephew of Paddy Aspel from Kilcullen, the revellers did not leave the Royal Oak until well into the morning.
Another sponsor in attendance was Mary Lewis, formerly Mary "Babs" O'Brien of Canal Side, Athy, who with her husband Bill is very involved with the Bradford Irish Music Association. Mary teaches set dancing and recalls attending many feiseanna while a young girl in Athy with Freddie Farrell and his sister Mary and Maisie Dooley.
Also at the Grove was Philip Berry, formerly of Skerries, who arrived in Manchester three years ago. The ladies were very much to the fore and Sarah Allen, formerly Sarah Bolger of Plewman's Terrace, was there as was Bridie McCarron, formerly Bridie Mulpeter of Kildare Town. Bridie is P.R.O. of the Kildare Association and is married to the singer Paul McCarron, a Donegal man, who with his Cill Dara group is well known in Lancashire.
Another of the organisers on the night was Tony Connolly, formerly of Kilberry, who apart from being President of the Kildare Association also manages St. Edward's Club in Manchester. Tommy who came to England in 1945 played football for Rheban and returns to South Kildare a couple of times a year.
Two Carbury men who could not understand why the local Kildare papers were not available in the Irish World Heritage Centre in Manchester were Michael Melia and Larry Keenan. Larry, who was accompanied by his wife Babs is Treasurer of the Kildare Association. Apparently the Heritage Centre which played host to President Mary Robinson last month gets all the Irish provincial newspapers except the Nationalist and the Leinster Leader. What about it Mr. Editors?
I was to visit the Centre on Sunday where I was to meet again many members of the Kildare Association including Joan Sparrow, formerly Joan Dunne of the National Stud in Kildare. Her father was the late Bill Dunne, who as head lad at the Stud, looked after the great horse Tulyar before he was sold to the Americans. The house in which Joan lived as a young girl now houses the Equestrian Museum in the National Stud. She remembered Jim Nelson, later a publican in Leinster Street, Athy, and his good friend P.J. Prendergast, in the days before he achieved fame as a horse trainer, visiting the stud on many occasions. Joan, whose husband died some years ago, is an active member of the Kildare Association.
The Irish World Heritage Centre is located on Queens Road, Manchester. A fine building providing bar, dining and function room facilities it is soon to be replaced by one of the most prestigious developments yet seen in Manchester. The new complex to be located on a twelve acre site will incorporate a major trade centre, providing a showcase for Irish produce and crafts.
The Kildare Association in Manchester . owes much to its Chairperson Eileen Brock, formerly Eileen O'Neill of Foxhill, who ably assisted by her husband John has brought together the County Kildare people living in that city. The Tournament held in the Grove, owned by Mayo man Michael Costello, himself a generous supporter of the Kildare Association was attended by a large crowd. Athy was particularly well represented. Brendan Hickey, now fifteen years out of Ireland and formerly of St. Joseph's Terrace, provided generous sponsorship for the Tournament. He is a very successful businessman in Manchester, employing almost 50 people in his heavy machinery business . His brother Willie was also there to cheer on the Athy lads, having taken a night off from his own Public House, The Royal Oak, Openshaw, which he has been running for two and a half years. The entire Athy contingent later returned to the Royal Oak to round off the night in style. With the guitar playing of Jimmy Aspel, nephew of Paddy Aspel from Kilcullen, the revellers did not leave the Royal Oak until well into the morning.
Another sponsor in attendance was Mary Lewis, formerly Mary "Babs" O'Brien of Canal Side, Athy, who with her husband Bill is very involved with the Bradford Irish Music Association. Mary teaches set dancing and recalls attending many feiseanna while a young girl in Athy with Freddie Farrell and his sister Mary and Maisie Dooley.
Also at the Grove was Philip Berry, formerly of Skerries, who arrived in Manchester three years ago. The ladies were very much to the fore and Sarah Allen, formerly Sarah Bolger of Plewman's Terrace, was there as was Bridie McCarron, formerly Bridie Mulpeter of Kildare Town. Bridie is P.R.O. of the Kildare Association and is married to the singer Paul McCarron, a Donegal man, who with his Cill Dara group is well known in Lancashire.
Another of the organisers on the night was Tony Connolly, formerly of Kilberry, who apart from being President of the Kildare Association also manages St. Edward's Club in Manchester. Tommy who came to England in 1945 played football for Rheban and returns to South Kildare a couple of times a year.
Two Carbury men who could not understand why the local Kildare papers were not available in the Irish World Heritage Centre in Manchester were Michael Melia and Larry Keenan. Larry, who was accompanied by his wife Babs is Treasurer of the Kildare Association. Apparently the Heritage Centre which played host to President Mary Robinson last month gets all the Irish provincial newspapers except the Nationalist and the Leinster Leader. What about it Mr. Editors?
I was to visit the Centre on Sunday where I was to meet again many members of the Kildare Association including Joan Sparrow, formerly Joan Dunne of the National Stud in Kildare. Her father was the late Bill Dunne, who as head lad at the Stud, looked after the great horse Tulyar before he was sold to the Americans. The house in which Joan lived as a young girl now houses the Equestrian Museum in the National Stud. She remembered Jim Nelson, later a publican in Leinster Street, Athy, and his good friend P.J. Prendergast, in the days before he achieved fame as a horse trainer, visiting the stud on many occasions. Joan, whose husband died some years ago, is an active member of the Kildare Association.
The Irish World Heritage Centre is located on Queens Road, Manchester. A fine building providing bar, dining and function room facilities it is soon to be replaced by one of the most prestigious developments yet seen in Manchester. The new complex to be located on a twelve acre site will incorporate a major trade centre, providing a showcase for Irish produce and crafts.
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