Club spells out its needs to councillors
ENNISKERRY Boxing Club made a presentation to members of Bray Municipal District at last week’s meeting.
Eamonn Carr and Paul O’Toole gave an overview of the club and their needs and were assured as much support as possible.
The club was founded in 2013 and is run on a voluntary basis. At the moment they have 15 girls and 53 boys with four male coaches and two female.
Members range in age from six to 30. Eamonn told members that the club objectives are to promote a healthy lifestyle in the community, to provide open membership to male and female members, and to offer social inclusion in the membership.
Eamonn said that they have literally been turning people away.
He added that while they are incredibly proud of European champion Daina Moorehouse, they offer equal opportunity to every member of all abilities.
He became involved when his daughter Eve started boxing and he ultimately became club secretary after seeing the work being done.
‘I’ve never seen anyone in my life as passionate about anything as (coach) Paul O’Toole,’ said Eamonn. ‘I’ve never met anyone like him.’
The club’s many achievements include gold and silver medals, a female boxer and female coach on the High Performance Irish Team, and two coaches selected to take the AIBA once-star coaching badge.
They train three nights a week, spar twice a week, and at the weekends its high performance training and Leinster male squad training on Saturdays and girls development squad on alternate Sundays.
The club receives no funding from the IABA or the government and relies solely on available Wicklow County Council grants, annual membership fees of €20, nightly subscriptions of €3 and bag packing two or three times a year. They do not have a permanent home and are currently renting commercial space in Bray. They say that the subscription money would be better used elsewhere, such as gear and equipment, travel, the provision of community links such as boxfit for schools, or further coaching.
A premises at Bog Meadow, to be shared with other sports clubs, may become available and would be an appropriate short-to-medium term solution. ‘ To keep ourselves viable we need a premises,’ said Eamonn. ‘We have been working with Enniskerry forum on Bog Meadow, which would be a shared facility. We are here to ask for your support to help us drive this forward.’
Cllr Steven Matthews thanked them for the presentation. ‘ The achievements are amazing for a club this size with funding issues,’ he said. ‘You know the work going on with Bog Meadow and I think it’s almost over the line,’ he said. ‘It has been a frustrating and slow process, but they wanted to get it right.’ The members heard that the law agent has been looking at the lease for the centre.
‘Bog Meadow has fantastic potential. It’s the place for you to be and I think there is capacity there. I know if you got a fixed home there it leaves you open to securing grants.’ He assured them of his continued support.
Cllr Oliver O’Brien agreed with Cllr Matthews. ‘I don’t think you guys should be waiting another minute. You are doing the voluntary work. The work Paul is doing is saving the government millions and millions,’ said Cllr O’Brien. ‘Sports should be free and should be provided by the government,’ he said.
Cllr Pat Vance said that over the past decades there have been tremendous strides made in terms of sports facilities in Bray. ‘But we’ve also grown as a town and we’re running out of ground,’ He complimented Paul on the work he does as a coach. ‘I always supported anyone in any sport who goes in and looks after kids,’ he said. ‘ The least I can do as a public representative is give as much help and support as I can.’
He said that once the temporary situation is sorted out, they need to look at the situation much longer term.
‘I’ve been talking to the chairman and other councillors about this. We need a major debate about facilities for yourselves and other sporting organisations. A huge amount of land has been put aside in the new development plan in old Fassaroe. I hope that will include a major regional sports facility to encompass all the facilities in the town. That is a little bit down the road and in the meantime we need to make sure you are sorted out in a good facility.’
‘It’s difficult to overestimate the work you’re doing with children,’ said Cllr Michael O’Connor, who agreed with all the sentiments expressed. ‘You can count on my support.’
Cllr Joe Behan thanked the club for the time they put in, whether at committee level or coaching level for the young people. ‘You are making a huge difference to their lives.
Cathaoirleach, Cllr Christopher Fox, said that he knows how much work has gone into the club. ‘Boxing has that unique ability to reach kids that no other sport can reach.’
He said that he is aware of young people with chaotic personal lives who were transformed after getting into boxing.
‘ The difference it made to their lives is immeasurable,’ he said. ‘ That’s down to you guys and everyone in the club.’
He said that the long-term solution would be a complex, perhaps on the old Fassaroe lands.
He asked if their preference would be Enniskerry, or the north Wicklow area. Paul said that while they are Enniskerry Boxing Club, they have members from Bray, Dublin, Greystones. They would rather not go outside Bray or Enniskerry.
They said that the Bog Meadow would be suitable ultimately.
‘Rarely have I seen a club like yours so meritorious it warrants such consideration,’ said Cllr Fox. ‘You are doing such good work.’
Cllr Brendan Thornhill said that he concurred with everything that had been said. ‘You are doing great work and the praise is deserved,’ he said. ‘If you keep young people busy, you can’t lose.’
Cllr Fox said that he will personally keep in touch with them as matters develop. A presentation was made to boxer Daina Moorehouse following her incredible achievement in winning a European gold medal.
Cathaoirleach Christopher Fox welcomed Daina, her parents John and Melissa and coach Eve Carr, and congratulated her on her victory in Bulgaria.
‘It was a fantastic achievement for her and all who coached and helped out. We have to mark the occasion.’
Cllr Fox said that he would hand over to a councillor who has put in a lot of work in a voluntary capacity to sport, Cllr Oliver O’Brien.
Cllr O’Brien said that he was ‘chuffed’ to make the presentation. ‘I am very proud of Daina and the whole family, who I have known for a long long time,’
He said that her dad John had been possibly the ‘ best hurler in Bray’ and Melissa was a tremendous footballer. He said that Daina has played hurling, football and is ‘an absolutely super person altogether’. He said that he has no doubt her late grandfather would be looking down on her now with pride. Cllr Joe Behan said that Daina was so level headed in interviews following her great win. ‘You were very keen to point out that you were part of a team,’ he said. ‘It shows the many qualities you have - character and personality as well as talent in sports,’ said Cllr Behan.