Anniversary show a bi
THE 40th anniversary of Drogheda’s premier boxing club - Holy Family BC - was celebrated in style on Saturday when a Holy Family selection hosted a team of boxers from Manchester and Warrington at Trinity Quarter in Trinity Street.
A packed house was treated to an outstanding exhibition of amateur boxing, with the Drogheda team emerging with a clear sheet at the end.
The bouts between Robert Coughlan and Chez Klein (winner Coughlan), Adam Mc Kenna and Dean Smithers (winner Mc Kenna), and Padraig Convery, who also won, were particularly outstanding.
Adam McKenna, incidentally, is the third generation of the family to enter the ring with Holy Family.
Club chairman Jim Gorman told the audience that since they had opened their doors 40 years ago 3,000 members had passed through, many of them earning higher honours in the boxing world. The club had a rich history and had been a pillar of the local community over the years. They had a strong club which had had loyal support from the people of Drogheda and the business community.
Besides the chairman, also present on the night were vice-chairman Christy McKenna, secretary Peter Darcy and the hard-working committee. Also present were club president Fr Philip Gaffney, St Mary’s and Holy Family Parishes, and Fr Jim Lynch, Yellow Furze, who had a long association with the club when he served in Drogheda. Garda Superintendent Andrew Watters presented the prizes for one of the bouts.
Drogheda Mayor Cllr Paul Bell said that the club had been made possible by those with big hearts, big vision and big ambition for the youth of the local community and they had developed the club’s boxers to National Championship and international status.
He praised founding members Jim Gorman, Bernard Everitt and Christy McKenna, all of whom ‘have done the full 40 rounds and are keen to come out for more’.
Also present on the night were Imelda Munster TD and Cllr Joanna Byrne (Sinn Fein), while independent Cllr Paddy McQuillan sent his regards to the club on its 40th. There was special applause on the night for former Mayor and councillor Peter Hughes who has had a long association with the club.
Lifetime achievement awards were presented to Christy McKenna, Bernard Everitt and Jim Gorman and there was also a special presentation to head coaching officer Damien McKenna.
Jim Gorman had special words of thanks for Jason Gorman and David Tallon of Trinity Quarter. Every club depends on its sponsors and the following were thanked by Jim Gorman: Ballygorman Contracts, Mullens Coaches, Intersure Group, Cllr Paddy McQuillan, Imelda Munster TD, Peter Hughes, Mayor Paul Bell, Downey Office Furniture, Drogheda Credit Union, Anthony Farrell Painting and Decorating, Alan Louthe, Thatch Bar, Kentgrove Ltd, OMAC Life.
The chairman also thanked Paul Lappin and John and Ivan Feran for their help to the club over the years.
•More pictures from the show in next week’s
Drogheda Independent