Paddy 'the Champ' Martin Cup hails the best boxers on Leeside
Paddy 'the Champ' Martin pictured in an Irish vest during his iilustrious career.
THE Táinaiste Micheál Martin will present the Paddy 'the Champ' Martin Cup for the 10th consecutive year next month.
This cup at the request of the Cork Ex-Boxers Association was sponsored by the Martin family to perpetuate the memory of Paddy Martin.
Paddy was a co-founding member of the association and a former Glen BC and international boxer. The invitation to the Martin family and the primary purpose of launching the cup was outlined to Micheál Martin by the late Tim O'Sullivan in March 2014. He was a lifelong friend of Paddy Martin and the other cofounding member of the association.
The criteria specified that the annual winner of the cup would be selected exclusively from Cork's All-Ireland Boxing Champions from that year. Each year three nominations would be submitted and the Cork Ex-Boxers would then select the winner.
The first presentation of the cup was made by Micheál Martin at the Cork County Boxing Board Centenary dinner in October 2014. He made all subsequent presentations.
The inaugural winner was Christina Desmond, Cork’s most prolific national elite title winner and a European and World medalist.
Other outstanding boxers were presented with the Paddy Martin Cup. Steve Cairns, then with the Lough Mahon Boxing Club won a European Junior Silver Medal, and is today listed as a pro. Leanne Murphy has won multiple national titles in addition to captaining her country and landing a European Championship bronze. Last month Leanne won a Gold Medal in the Haringey Cup International Boxing Championships in London.
Cathal Crowley last year dazzled the Yanks in an international tournament in San Francisco. He is also the holder of four All-Ireland titles.
Tomás McCarthy, following a string of National Juvenile successes, was presented with the Paddy Martin Cup in 2016. Two years later he won an elite title the National Stadium which bridged a cap of 16 years.
The pride of Kanturk Katie O'Keefe was last year presented with the famous cup. She is the holder of eight All-Ireland Juvenile titles and the only Cork boxer to win three European Junior Championship medals.
The last decade has been a very committed 10 years of boxing activity for Micheál Martin. Last May on he acknowledged his pride in the sport of boxing.
On March 23, the Tánaiste was guest speaker at a house full Cork City hall. The occasion was a Glen Boxing Club in association with Cork City Council Commemoration Concert and Boxing Tournament. This event was held to belatedly mark the centenary of the death of Cork patriot Tomas McCurtain who as Lord Mayor of Cork and president of the Glen Boxing Club.
Following a busy day in the Dail, despite being delayed in heavy traffic, he still made it on time to deliver a very passionate speech. The event was streamed live all over the world.
In his address, Micheál Martin paid tribute to the sacrifice of Tomás McCurtain choosing his words very warmly to fully illustrate to the audience his admiration and respect for the slain hero.
On entering politics Martin delightfully recalled canvassing in Ballyphehane during his first campaign in the City Council elections of 1985. Laden with policy documents and manifestos he was setting out to change the political landscape. However, he was met at the doors with the same question everywhere: 'who are you now, are you Paddy the Champ's son...'
Many constituents then rejoiced as they informed Micheál that they too were in the City Hall the night his father defeated Joe Bygraves in a very famous fight that now forms part of Cork boxing folklore.
The Tánaiste then went on to speak about the many great boxing nights in the City Hall and his father's involvement in the sport. The link between Cork Boxing and Micheál Martin has always been very close. When he became Taoiseach, his first visit to a sports club in Ireland was to the Glen Boxing Club Ireland's oldest boxing institution.
The annual presentation of the Paddy Martin Cup is one of the highlights of the Cork Boxing year. Each recipient to date has not only excelled in the sport but went on to greater achievements.
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