The establishment of a further three new boxing clubs in Cork is testament to the rapid development of the sport in a county which has always enjoyed a great tradition of producing champions.

Following a year in which Cork has recorded the county’s greatest ever national title tally such success has richly contributed to attracting many young male and female athletes, with clubs reporting that they are inundated with applications for membership. 

As part of a planned expansion and development of the sport the county board identified five locations where new clubs could be established, to date three of these clubs are now up and running, and background work on the other two is progressing.

Kinsale BC, East Cork BC, and Clonakilty BC, are the new kids on the block, and they have prepared diligently as they take their place as the latest affiliates to the Cork boxing family. 

All three have been fully briefed on the administration and procedures pertaining to rule application relating to all boxing matters. 

Kinsale have quickly built on very solid foundations and have a fine premises from which they can continue to build and strengthen the club membership. 

At present, they have over 70 members in training and these numbers are very encouraging to their strong committee.

The East Cork Boxing Club members and boxers with club coaches Ricky Flynn and Michael Kalelic The East Cork Boxing Club members and boxers with club coaches Ricky Flynn and Michael Kalelic

The club is now working to a development plan, and they say everything is on target. 

Head coach is Conan Dillon to seeing the club prosper as he believes there is great potential in the squad of athletes currently within their ranks. The club will facilitate all grades, and Conan will be assisted by Alia Henson, Kealan O’Rourke, Sean Kirschofer, Ryan Dillon and Owen Irwin.

The East Cork BC will work from a sprawling geographical base and this is a big catchment area for the club. 

Their training sessions are well organised, and the club is now in full flow. 

Richard and Mary Flynn, along with Michael Kalelic and others are confident of developing their new club into a very competitive unit and are looking forward to the new season. 

The third club in the tridium of debutants is Clonakilty Boxing Club, and they have done an enormous amount of renovation work in preparation of their entry to the boxing marketplace.

Many nights of burning the midnight oil has been put in by the committee as they endeavour to have everything in readiness for their big membership. 

This array of work included levelling floors kitting out toilets and washrooms erecting a standard ring and a major paint job. 

In addition, funds had to be raised to defray the costs of the extensive renovations, in preparation for their entry into the Cork boxing calendar of events.

The club chairman is Conar Gallagher and he is very confident about the club’s future, as he maintains they have a great sporting town and surrounding areas from which they will concentrate on in their quest to find potential future boxing champions. 

The club secretary Shane Field said, this.

“There is a great buzz around the town about the new club, and the numbers wishing to join is very encouraging, we will learn a lot in our first year.”

The club coach is Raul Tarido, and he also is very optimistic as he looks forward to the challenge of returning Clonakilty to its place of former glory and prominence which it enjoyed in Cork boxing circles during the 1940’s and 50’s.

Meanwhile, next Tuesday night, the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Fergal Dennehy will host a reception for members of the Cork County Boxing Board at the City Hall. 

The event will see distinguished service awards presented to members of various clubs throughout the city and county. 

The president of the County Board Michael O’Brien said they are looking forward to the event.

“These awards are to acknowledge the very important role played by committee members within the club’s.

“Very often it’s always the boxer’s and coaches who get the recognition which they are entitled to but there is a cohort within all clubs who do a tremendous amount of unseen but very important work and these awards will shine a light on their contribution.”

L to R: Clonakilty Boxing Club's Raul Tarido, club coach, Conor Gallagher, chairperson, Eamonn Twomey, Member, and Shane Field, secretary L to R: Clonakilty Boxing Club’s Raul Tarido, club coach, Conor Gallagher, chairperson, Eamonn Twomey, Member, and Shane Field, secretary

Also, on the night special presentations will be made to some of those volunteers who have given extraordinary service to the promotion of boxing on Leeside. 

The Lord Mayor will also launch the Glen Boxing Club Centenary Boxing Tournament on the night. 

This is to mark the 100th anniversary of the clubs first tournament which took place in 1925 nine years after the club’s foundation in 1916. 

To mark this very important milestone in the club’s history the Glen BC, will organise a Centenary Boxing Tournament on Friday 14th November in the Glen Club, this is a senior boxing event and will commence at 7.30pm.

Donie Carroll, the former Sunnyside boxer, renowned balladeer, and vice president of the International Friends of Cork Boxing, who has been domiciled in New York for 30 years now, is the main sponsor of the evening, and has provided a magnificent centenary cup and a set of special medals designed for this prestigious occasion.

Elsewhere, the Cork Senior Open Boxing day will take place on Saturday, 18th October at the St Vincent’s GAA Complex, all clubs wishing to participate should submit their entries to John Morrissey Director of Cork Senior Boxing.

The following is the immediate listing for annual club tournaments. 

On Sunday, 19th October, the Cork club of the year Mayfield BC, will hold their tournament once again in the Mayfield Community College. 

On Saturday, 1st November, at the St Vincent’s GAA Complex, the Elite BC will hold their club tournament. 

On Friday, 14th November, the Glen Centenary Tournament is on and this is followed by the Muskerry Club show which takes place on Saturday, 22nd November, at Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig. 

Then, on Sunday, 7th December, the DeCourcey BC will put on their tournament at the Town Hall Bandon. 

Next week the secretary of the county board John Wiseman will announce details of the new season’s Cork County Board League’s Programme.