Sliabh Luachra Boxing Club members and European silver medalists, Mary McDonagh from Tralee and Jamesie Casey, Killarney were the recipients of a well earned Kerry County Council Civic Reception on Wednesday.
The twin honours were conferred at the Castleisland Corca Dhuibhne Municipal Council meeting at the Carnegie Building and the presentations and speeches were made and delivered at the club’s headquarters next door on the Cordal Road.
Both Jamesie and Mary have been the recipients of club initiated welcome home parties in August and November respectively.
Jamesie in Turkey / Mary in Italy
Jamesie won his 2022 European silver medal in Turkey in mid August and Mary won her medal in in Montesilvano in Italy in early October. Both were hard earned and mere points stood between the gold and silver winners in their cases.
It was proposed that Kerry County Council would honour the achievement of the two young boxers and their club with a civic reception in recognition of their remarkable achievements in Europe last summer and autumn.
While Cllr. Charlie Farrelly put in the motion that the honour be bestowed it was presented by Cllr. Bobby O’Connell.
1980s Club Revival
Cllr. O’Connell traced his involvement with local boxing all the way back to the early 1980s and the revival of the club at that time. Then his club colleagues included: ‘Foxy’ Tim O’Connor, Eddie Griffin, Tom ‘The Gurly’ McCarthy and David ‘Dauber’ Prendiville.
In the course of his address, as leas cathaoirleach an bhardasaigh Oileán Chiarraí agus Corca Dhuibhne, Cllr. O’Connell also praised Carmel and John O’Connell for their achievements and work for the sport in the area over the intervening years.
Club Leaders Jennifer and John
Cllr. Farrelly in his cúpla focal praised the outstanding achievements of the club leaders Jennifer and John Coffey for their work with the youth of the area and their campaigning to get the home premises they now have.
“As long as I’m here and able I’ll do what I can and I know that my colleagues here will do likewise to help you in any way we can.
Municipal district manager Christy O’Connor said that he has always been a fan of boxing and he recalled getting up in the early hours of the morning during the halcyon days of the epic Muhammad Ali V Joe Frazier and Ali V Foreman fights of the early 1970s.
‘We’ll Be Calling on Ye’ – John Coffey
Club Chairman, John Coffey, himself a Killarney native, thanked all the local representatives for their presence on the historic and special occasion for all concerned. He thanked the Casey and McDonagh families for their dedication to the sporting careers of their talented off-spring and acknowledged the miles they clock up to and from training and around the country in search of sparring partners for their boxers.
“Now that I have ye here I want to tell ye that we have major plans for the club and we have several more boxers with the potential to go far.
“Involvement with a club like this is a seven-day-week, Saturday and Sunday commitment and days like today make it all worthwhile,” he said.
Doesn’t Happen Too Often
“We’re very lucky that we have the talents of Jamesie and Mary in our club and that doesn’t happen too often. And that, and what you all did for us today, will have a very positive impact on the youngsters we have coming up through the ranks.
“We’re delighted to see ye all here today and I’m reminding ye all that we’ll be calling on ye and revealing our plans to ye very shortly,” said Mr. Coffey.
Needless to say but both Jamesie and Mary were also honoured at the club’s end of 2022 season awards. Jamesie was awarded the Best Male Boxer of the Year and the Best Female Boxer of the Year award went to Mary – as the first ever female to bring home a European medal to club and county.
And they’re both back in training with an eye on going one better in the European championships later this year.
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