Cork Ex-Boxers were there for Jack Doyle when he needed help the most

FIFTY years ago in early November 1972, Jack Doyle was a star attraction at a cabaret at the Country Club, Montenotte.

Six weeks prior to that, the newly established Cork Ex-Boxers Association held their first meeting on the 24th of September 1972, and six years later that organization would play a major part in having Jack Doyle buried with dignity in his native Cobh.

Primarily many believe Jack Doyle was a boxer who never allowed himself an opportunity to reach his full potential. 

As an amateur he was undefeated in over 100 bouts.

He then went on to join the British Army, and became Army Champion Boxer undefeated in 28 fights, winning 27 of those by Knock Out. 

Jack Doyle was multitalented, extremely good looking, a beautiful singer and stood 6ft 5 inches tall. 

Arguably he was Ireland’s first sex symbol and drew large crowds everywhere, when he sang or boxed.

Doyle was born in 1913, and twenty years later he was earning £600 pounds a week as a singer, that was 1933 and that year 90,000 people saw him take on Jack Peterson at The White City London in a British heavyweight title fight. 

He had captured the imagination of many in Ireland, Britain and America. 

The day he fought Peterson, a couple of thousand people awaited news of the fight outside the office of the Cork Examiner.

Many in Cork believed Doyle would win this fight easily as he had destroyed his previous five opponents which included the unbeaten French Champion Moise Bouquillon, the Belgian Jack Humbeeck and the Englishman known as the undefeated Jack Pettifer, a giant of a man whom Doyle fought at the Cristal Palace and in the second round the Cobh man knocked him clean out of the ring.

However, prior to this fight Doyle had become a high society celebrity and was enjoying the good life, he was drinking heavily and neglected his training, Peterson was the champion and well prepared, Doyle failed to match him and engaged in a number of low punching activities, which consequently seen him loose the fight of his career on being disqualified. 

The news was released to the, by now, thousands in Academy Street outside the paper office, the signal of a red light if Doyle lost and it would have been a green light if he was victorious.

Following this defeat Doyle was also banned from boxing for six months and had his £3,000-pound purse impounded by the British Boxing Board of control. 

Now denied earning a living with his fists Doyle decided to concentrate on his singing career, again he packed out venues in Britain and Ireland. He continued to enjoy a Romeo lifestyle and by the age of 30 he had made and squandered a quarter of a million pounds.

Jack Doyle continued to attract the ladies everywhere he went, he was loved and admired by thousands, he returned to Cork every couple of years, he held his twenty first birthday party at a packed Imperial Hotel, the Public House in Cork which was his favorite was Canty’s Bar in Pembroke Street, his motto was ‘a generous man never went to hell’.

He sang to a packed out Opera House in Cork in 1937, the concert was due to commence at 8pm on a Sunday night, Doyle discovered that thousands failed to secure a ticket, he then responded by standing on a large crate, three hours before the official concert, outside of the Opera House and gave the crowds a free impromptu concert, which lasted for over an hour. 

Following his last song, he scattered one hundred pounds’ in half crowns amongst the gathering saying “have a drink on me”.

In his heyday now as a heavyweight boxer, singer and playboy, he became famous worldwide and his status rivalled that of the then Prince of Wales. 

He went on to marry the beautiful Mexican film star and singer Movita Castaneda, who later married Marlon Brando. Doyle was now beginning to drink more and eventually this took its toll, and as he aged he became unreliable and his star began to wane. 

He then tock up wrestling but was rapidly going into decline.

Sadly, for years Doyle lived in a small bed sit in London, he was destitute, he died alone in 1978, at the age of 65.

The handsome Irishman as the Gorgeous Gael, who came from the backstreet of Cobh, then known as Queenstown and who rocked the social world as a gigolo, was now destined for a paupers grave in Sheppard’s bush.

News of his death was carried on the BBC world service, immediately the Cork Ex-Boxers Association moved to have his remains returned to Cork for the burial in his hometown of Cobh.

Tim O’Sullivan and Paddy Martin said it was a matter of honor to bring him home. 

However, this was a costly operation, thankfully local Cobh undertaker Peter Barry and Frank and Pat O’Shea of the Commodore Hotel were instrumental in the process. 

It was arranged for the remains to come to Holyhead, then on to Dublin and from there to come by hearse to Blackpool in Cork, here thousands turned out, and the Cork Ex-Boxers provided a Guard of Honour. 

Tim O’Sullivan recalled, we walked alongside the hearse all the way to the railway station. 

In the following days, Jack Doyle was buried in his hometown with affection, dignity and respect. 

The Cork Ex-Boxers Association were a credit to the sport and to the Cork Boxing Family.

A proud memory in their Golden Jubilee Years.