MUSKERRY Boxing Club, located in the heart of Ballincollig, celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

Established in 2012, the club is based on very solid foundations and has flourished over the intervening years.

Today, the club stands independent and proud as it contributes to the swelling sporting landscape of the town.

This weekend head coach Tom Murray leads a seven-man team to London to participate in the Haringey Box Cup.

This is one of the most prestigious Box Cups in the international calendar and is a brand leader in the promotion of amateur boxing.

The Muskerry unit has prepared its boxers well for the very high standard required for this tournament. 

The team includes Sean Brennan, Sean Kelleher, David O'Driscoll, Derek Murray Scot Long, Derek Shannon and Jamie Long.

This event also creates a great opportunity for clubs to establish contacts. 

Down through the years the Haringey Box Cup has helped to convince many clubs to come to Ireland and has created an opportunity for many clubs from Ireland to be invited to all parts of Britain.

The Muskerry club gym in located on unit 4, Westpoint Industrial Estate on the Link Road. 

The unit caters for over 50 boxers, facilitating both male and female athletes from seven years of age up to Elite standard.

When a young boxer enters the club for the first time, the unit has an induction policy in place. 

In particular, this applies to young athletes who commence training at seven or eight years of age.

For many boxers who go on to become champions, it is important from the outset to have the fundamentals of the sport explained clearly to them.

In the Muskerry BC, Aisling Murray has welcomed many young athletes to what the club terms as the kids class. 

Here, Aisling allays any fears and explains in simple terms the program the club has organised for young beginners.

Aisling's work has paid a handsome dividend, and she has helped to generate greater competition amongst young boxers as they prepare to enter competition at 11 years of age.

Over the last ten years the club has produced many Munster, County and Irish champions. 

Four national titles have been won by Muskerry boxers. 

Aisling Blake has won two national titles, while Holly Dineen and Michael Downey have also secured gold.

The Muskerry BC has also won silver national medals through great performances from Abbie Murphy, Chelsea Jordan and Michael Downey.

In the preparation of their boxers, club coaches have given long hours, day, months and even years of their time as sporting volunteers. 

Tom's brother Donald has also made a telling contribution to the progress and development of the unit.

Equally, Mike O'Brien has also displayed great flair as a club coach. 

However, a tremendous amount of work has been put in by the club's number two coach Philip O'Dwyer who caters for young juniors and seniors.

Tom Murray described O'Dwyer as diligent, determined, and committed with loyalty to both boxer and club.

Tom is also a businessman and proprietor of Maglin Kitchens. 

Murray admitted that he's all about trying to couple his business interests with that of the boxing club.

Form the age of seven, Murray himself has always been attracted to the sport of boxing. 

He has followed the fortunes of many boxers and in recent months has been in New York twice for the Katie Taylor fight and to see Gary Spike O'Sullivan box for a WBA World title.

Murray joined the old Ballincollig BC after making his first Holy Communion, and the money he secured from that sacrament saw him buy his first pair of boxing gloves.

Seven years later he moved to Blarney BC, where he was coached by Danny Matthews. 

During his boxing career, Tom has won local, provincial and national honours.

Following this, he took a break for a number of years at the age of 28 years of age was but was encouraged back into the sport by the evergreen Dan Lane of the Rylane BC.

Whilst with this club, he competed at the highest level and was unlucky to lose out to Darren O'Neill and Brian Magee in Elite finals.

He represented Ireland at 33 years of age and retired following that highlight in his career. 

Murray is a Director with the construction company CitiDwell Limited. 

Tom has experience also as an Irish two-star national coach and has travelled extensively abroad with many successful Irish teams at schoolboy, U22 and Elite levels.

The Muskerry BC is a progressive club who are constantly planning for the future of its boxers. 

Meanwhile, the sympathy of the Cork County Boxing Board has been extended to the McGroarty family following the death of Albert McGroarty. Albert gave over 40 years to the service of boxing. 

May he rest in peace.