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Legends of Irish Boxing
An array of boxing legends gathered at Parliament Buildings on Thursday 25th October at the launch of Legends of Irish Boxing - Stories Seldom Told. Barry McElduff MLA Chair of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure and David McNarry MLA Deputy Chair sponsored the launch of the book which book provides an exciting insider look into some of the greatest names in Irish boxing. All the favourite glovemen are featured, from Barry McGuigan, Wayne McCullough, Michael Carruth, Steve Collins and ‘Dave Boy’ McAuley, to the older heroes such as Freddie Gilroy, Charlie Nash and John Caldwell.
Almost all of the boxers in this book represented Northern Ireland or Ireland at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and brought home medals. For some, this would be the pinnacle of their success, but for others, the adventure was just beginning.
Speaking at the launch, Barry McElduff Chair of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure said:
“Sport is inherently good for the individual. Ireland is and has been particularly renowned in the sport of boxing on the European and World stage. I take pleasure in being associated with sporting achievements, particularly where people bring distinction and honour to themselves and their communities and I am delighted to co-sponsor the launch of this book with one of my many sparring partners in the Assembly.”
Speaking at the event, Professor Eric Saunders OBE, Chairman of Sport Northern Ireland commented, “The sport of boxing has an unparalleled history of success at the highest level, whilst also providing a valuable social outlet for youth from disadvantaged areas, by instilling the ethics, power, passion and fairness, which many associate with the essence of sport. Irish boxers have won more Olympic medals than any other sport with Michael Carruth winning Gold and Wayne McCullough Silver in the Barcelona Olympic Games amongst others. The Province and its boxers have played a full part in Ireland’s successes throughout the years and have proved to be the principal source of Northern Ireland’s success at the Commonwealth Games”.
It is well know that many of Ireland’s boxers came from deprived or difficult backgrounds where sport offered an escape from The Troubles or from poverty, to a life of wealth, travel, and sometimes celebrity. As boxer, John McNally, the first man from the Province to win an Olympic medal, commented:
“In essence, it’s poverty that has been the biggest factor in creating the conditions for boxing to flourish. There is no doubt that times were very hard back then and people had to adapt to survive and that is why so many became great fighters.”
Many of their stories are epic in the telling, and illustrate how showmanship, fearlessness and bravery are just some of the vital attributes necessary for the boxer who would rise above the rest.
Of course it wasn’t all victory and success and McNally goes on to reveal that “the loneliest place for any boxer after a devastating defeat is indeed the changing room.”
The book, contains over eighty photographs of the boxers in training, in action and as they are today and as a reference book, it provides not only an acknowledgement of what each of the boxers has achieved professionally, but also a glimpse into their human sides and the great characteristics which gave inspiration to generations.
To paraphrase Simon and Garfunkle’s song The Boxer, these are the stories seldom told, and with a foreward by Barry McGuigan and Pat McCrory M.B.E., it is hoped the book will appeal to anyone with an interest in the legends of Irish boxing..
The author, Barry Flynn lives in Belfast. A graduate of Queen’s University, he has had a lifelong interest in sport and has worked as a freelance sports broadcaster on BBC Radio Ulster, RTE and INN in Dublin.
Ciarrai Conlan, Press Officer Sport |
