Integrated young Castleisland boxers win awards as well as biggest haul of medals

BY KATHY MASTERSON

ACounty Kerry boxing club that was established in 2006 to help improve relations between youths from the Travelling and settled communities has become a knockout success.

Sliabh Luachra Boxing Club in Castleisland has enjoyed a record-breaking year, with two of its members taking home silver at European championships.

Club manager Jennifer O'Sullivan Coffey told Changing Ireland: "The club started in 2006 as part of a project by the then Sliabh Luachra Development Company. At the time there was some trouble in Castleisland between Travelling and settled children, so we had to come up with ideas on what would be an appropriate way to get people involved.

"On our opening night, we had 60 young people. We had no home, we had nothing, and we just decided to hire a hall."

Jennifer, who is also a development worker with North East West Development Company, added: "Really it’s not just a boxing club, it’s a tool to bring young people in, to see what’s going on with them. Our aim was always that the boxing club would stand alone. It’s non-profit, any money that is made goes back into the club."

Today, the club has more than 70 members aged eight and over, with a mix of nationalities and backgrounds.

Jennifer said: "This year about 60 per cent of our boxers are from the Travelling community and 40 per cent are settled. We have boxers coming from all over Kerry. We allocate spaces to local young people first and then open it up to people further away.

"We had a record-breaking number of wins this year. We won six national titles, six Munster titles, and 20 county titles.

"One of our members won a Garda Youth Award, and the club won a gold Kerry Community Award,” she said.

Club member Jamesie Casey (14) from Killarney took home a silver medal from the European Schools Championship, held in Erzurum, Turkey in August.

Another, Mary McDonagh, is a European Junior 75kg silver medalist following the European Junior Championship in Montesilvano Italy in October.

"There is a rich history of boxing in Castleisland. My great-grandfather and my grandfather were involved in boxing. It’s funny the way things happen; I’m now Chair of the Kerry County Boxing Club and manager of Sliabh Luachra Boxing Club, Jennifer said.

It is perhaps because of this rich history that the club has been able to benefit from a local pool of talented coaches, who Jennifer says also act as mentors to the boxers.

"The club is lucky in that we have fantastic coaches. They give massive support both inside and outside of the club to all our boxers. They know they can contact the coaches any time outside of the club if they have anything going on in their lives," she explained.

Aside from its achievements in the ring, did the club succeed in its original goal of helping to bring the community of Castleisland together?

"Oh it did, for definite," said Jennifer. "We did a presentation on the club for the Minister of Sport some years ago as an example of good practice, and we were given recognition for that.

"There is no difference, it (background) doesn’t matter, that’s not the culture in the club. The ethos here is that as soon as you walk in the door, you’re part of our boxing family, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, once you follow the rules. They all work together."