DONIE CARROLL, the former Sunnyside boxer and vice-president of the International Friends of Cork Boxing, returned to Leeside for a brief vacation recently.

During his stay, Donie availed of the opportunity to present two Intercontinental Boxing Cups to Sunnyside and their neighbours Fr Horgan’s Boxing Club.

Donie has worked and lived in New York for many years. In his role as vice president of the Friends of Cork Boxing, he has proved to be an outstanding ambassador for the sport stateside. 

In the last twelve months, he has linked up to assist Irish and Cork boxing clubs travelling to the US. 

In addition, he was on hand to facilitate the Cork Delegation, who travelled to the ‘Big Apple’ for Gary Spike O’Sullivan’s world middleweight title shot last October. 

More recently, he was the friendly Leeside face who welcomed former Taoiseach and now Tánaiste Micheal Martin to New York for the recent St Patrick’s Week festivities.

Donie Carroll was guest of honour at a very pleasant function hosted by the Fr Horgan’s Boxing Club. He told the large attendance that he was delighted to sponsor the cups. He praised the great work being done by both clubs. 

Sunnyside Boxing Club was founded in 1927 and has enjoyed outstanding success at all levels over the years. 

Fr Horgan’s was established in 1959 in the famed parochial hall, an iconic sporting landmark on Cork’s Northside. The club has enjoyed a long tradition of producing many national champions. 

In recent years, Christina Desmond has won numerous elite titles in the club colours while last September Lauren Crinnion returned from the European School’s boxing championships as a silver medallist. 

Lauren was coached by her father Ken. 

This was not only seen as an outstanding success for the club but it was also welcomed and acknowledged as a great triumph for Cork boxing.

Gordon Joyce accepted the second cup on behalf of the Sunnyside Club. Gordon won four elite national titles. 

He enjoyed a spectacular international career and made history by becoming and remaining the youngest boxer in Irish boxing history to win a senior elite title. 

In addition, Gordon has given tremendous service to the continuous development of the Sunnyside Club.

Donie is also a long-time member of the Cork Ex-Boxers Association, and last year, at a boxing breakfast, he was inducted into the Cork Hall of Fame. 

He is associated with many good causes and works tirelessly on many of these campaigns. Donie is equally well known as a singer and musician and was a member of the illustrious ballad group Finnegans Wake. 

RELISH

Donie Carroll is now beginning to relish his task as a key component in spreading the Cork boxing gospel, and he has fully bought into a network that is working towards a master plan.

Elsewhere, the president of the International Friends of Cork Boxing, Dan O’Connell is also back at Leeside for a week.

He too is also working constructively and to a time scale that includes three meetings, the presentation of Cork Indoor Sports Award to Tom Kelleher and making the presentation of the 2023 Victor Aston Cup to the Cork Boxing Club of the Year. 

Meanwhile, Frank O/Sullivan of Birmingham ABC, who was last year’s Cork Boxing Personality of the Year, and is the other Vice President with the Friends of Cork Boxing is expected on Leeside next month, where he will receive a Céad Míle Fáilte.