Linda Desmond puts Rylane Boxing Club on the map with national title glory at 66kg level

AMIDST scenes of euphoric jubilation, Linda Desmond of Rylane Boxing Club, won Cork’s first senior boxing title of the new season at the national stadium last Sunday night. 

The mid-Cork clubwoman gave a vintage display of bell to bell focused boxing which delighted her coach Seanie Barrett. 

Linda Desmond is a seasoned campaigner with multiple county Munster and national titles in underage and juvenile boxing, however her most recent success was by far the most iconic of her career. 

Desmond lifted the 66kg title following her victory over Molly Rowley of the Swingford Boxing Club.

An accomplished display of bobing, weaving and classic counter punching were the hallmarks of an inspired third round, which devastated her opponent to insure the boxing laurels rested on Leeside. 

Linda’s victory not only lifted her club, but sounded the hunter’s horn to awaken all Cork clubs to timely remind them that rebel boxing athletes were on the march seeking national success at every opportunity.

In a recent interview in the Echo, featuring life in rural post offices, Rylane postmaster John Crowley reflected on the role of the post office within their local community and identified the focal points and facilities in the region. 

In reference to sport in the article, Crowley modestly advised that Rylane also had a good boxing club. 

Four days later Crowley’s remarks were fully endorsed through Linda Desmond’s remarkable success at the home of Irish Boxing. 

John Crowley is also the secretary of the Rylane club and a great stalwart of the sport as well as being a very dedicated ambassador for the Cork Boxing Board.

Linda’s victory was a tribute to the dedication and commitment of her coach Seanie Barrett. 

Barrett, a former outstanding pound for pound boxer and Irish international, was the Rylane club’s first elite champion. 

The club was established in 1979 and twenty years later Seanie Barrett defeated the Galway Olympian Francis Barrett to win the light welterweight title. 

Seanie followed up a year later in 2000 to win the title again defeating Paul McCluskey Dungiven.

The Rylane Club celebrated Barrett’s victories in great style and had bonfires and lighting tar barrels along the roadsides to welcome home the champion. 

Paddy Joe Andy, from the foot of the Mushera mountain, often recalled the excitement which swept the Rylane hinterland and surrounding areas, following Barrett’s national success.

In his retirement Seanie gave a lot back to the sport within his own club and to Cork boxing in general. 

He was head coach to the Cork Boxing Academy and headed up along with Aine McLoughlin a delegation which travelled to the Olympic club in San Fransisco two years ago. 

This trip was organised by the Board President as part of a number of trips over three years in association with Cork City Council.

The Cork County Board congratulated the Rylane Club and Linda Desmond on her latest success, and now following her elevated status as a senior champion this provides an opportunity for the talented athlete to excel in the top flight of elite boxing.

Meanwhile, the response to the County Board’s promotion of an Olympic Boxing Festival in January as outlined in last week’s column has been warmly welcomed by clubs throughout Cork and Munster. 

The timing of the event suits all clubs and comes around a month before the county boxing championship. 

The details of the 100 boxer tournament will be released on Friday 3rd November with the very strict caveat that early entry will secure participation.

Elsewhere, the Glen Boxing Club is now accepting old boxing memorabilia and artefacts for the club’s boxing museum which will be officially opened on Wednesday 20th March next year. 

This museum will perpetuate the memory of Tomas MacCurtain, the club’s first president. 

Members of the public who would like to loan old photographs, trophies, medals, singlets, accolades and awards etc to the club for exhibition will have their name attached by card to the item on display. 

The museum will afford an opportunity to people abroad to participate and contribute to this permanent exhibition which will richly enhance the tradition and folklore of Cork boxing.

The international vice president of the Friends of Cork Boxing Donie Carroll, based in New York, returns to Cork for a holiday in November- last week in downtown Manhattan Donie received an award for his outstanding work for various charities.

Donie, the former CIE and Sunnyside boxers has recently welcomed the big plans proposed for next year to mark the centenary of Ireland’s Boxers participation in the Olympics. 

Since settling in New York, Donie has been very active with Cork Man’s Association. 

The former well known balladeer with Finnegan’s Wake also set up the very successful Sunnyside singers and various other community groups while constantly promoting the spirit of Leeside across the Atlantic.