Sadness at death of popular May

ARKLOW BOXING CLUB were saddened to here that one of their true friends, May O’Reilly, of St Peter’s Place, passed away on Saturday, December 21. May died in St Vincent’s Hospital surrounded by her loving family

May was a committee member during fundraising for our clubhouse back in the eighties and was one of the twelve committee members who went out canvassing to buy a brick for 50p for months on end. May’s husband Michael, deceased, was also a committee member and chairman of Arklow Boxing Club during that time and wasn’t afraid of manual labour, finishing off work on the club as the money come in.

May’s involvement with the club started when her sons, Liam and Joe, joined the club and they won many titles between in the eighties and nineties.

Two of May’s grandsons, Jason and Padraig, are keeping up the O’Reilly family tradition. Both are current members of the club, and both are good boxers.

May’s whole family have been trojan workers for the club since then, and still are. Kathleen and Sheila are always willing to help with fundraising and during tournaments and as members of the Parents Committee.

May’s other son, Michael Jnr, who is a DJ, provides the intro music at all our tournaments.

Our major fundraiser each year is our annual draw at Christmas and it’s being running now for over 30 years. May and her family have been selling tickets and supporting it for all those years.

May wasn’t afraid to remind you when she met you with a bit of slagging that she never won anything in that draw.

Ironically, in this year’s draw she won a few euro herself in the last draw on Friday night.

Condolences to May’s family from the Arklow Boxing Club’s officers committee and all the members of Arklow Boxing Club. May she rest in peace.