The quiet man behind the lens, Doug Minihane finally gets recognition for his years of great work

PHOTOGRAPHER Doug Minihane was very popular winner of the Boxing Accolade at the recent Cork Indoor Sport Awards at the Metropole Hotel.

Doug was nominated for this award by, the Cork County Boxing Board in recognition of his dedicated service to promoting boxing. 

Twelve years ago, Minihane an excellent amateur photographer was invited by Michael O’Brien then PRO with The Loughmahon BC, to cover a number of club events. 

Acknowledging his remarkable talent with a camera, O’Brien encouraged Doug to cover other events, on behalf of the Cork County Board.

Around the same time, O’Brien was appointed PRO with the Board. 

The two men began to work together and the profile of Cork Boxing in the media dramatically increased. 

This was greatly appreciated by the Cork boxing fraternity, particularly by older followers of the Sport. 

A weekly boxing page on The Echo was negotiated and this was very kindly facilitated by John McHale, sports editor with the paper. 

Suddenly, Cork boxing was back on the map, and interest in the sport greatly increased throughout the city and county.

This became a labour of love for Minihane, when he was not working he devoted a lot of his spare time to covering boxing events and did this in a voluntary unpaid capacity.

Prior to the presentation of the award a citation comprehensively covering Doug’s work was read, and it was only then that one could fully appreciate his outstanding commitment to boxing.

In addition to his coverage of ringside action, Minihane was regularly on hand to cover boxing social events. 

These included, dinner dances, boxing breakfasts, civic receptions at City Hall, and many of the club’s awards events.

On all the occasions covered by Doug’s camera, he insured that thousands of these pics subsequently appeared on Facebook and on other platforms; this greatly appealed to young male and female boxers and brought great joy to the parents of the young athletes.

His work on behalf of Cork boxing saw Doug travel the country and further afield. 

These included visits to Belfast with Cork boxing teams and to New York. 

Minihane snapped in the mecca of world boxing at Madison Square Garden where he covered Gary ‘Spike O’Sullivan fights, and Rylane Boxing Club, who took part in tournaments at the iconic venue.

The Cork County Board President said of him recently: “Doug is a constant in Cork Boxing circles and if one did not know better one might be forgiven for thinking that boxing was very lucrative for Doug, and all the man receives for his dedication is the gratitude of the Board."

Minihane has always facilitated the requests of Cork boxing. 

This included taking pics with particular backgrounds in various parts of the city and county.

His coverage of events in Bishop Lucey Park is legendary. 

He also covered the first IABA National Convention in Cork, library exhibitions, the three-day Steve Collins event in Cork two years ago, to mark the 25th anniversary of Collins world boxing title win on Leeside, and the recent opening of The Tomas MacCurtain Boxing Museum in the Glen Boxing Club.

The presentation to Doug was made by the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Kieran McCarthy. 

He was also congratulated by Dan O’Connell, who is the current President of the Cork Indoor Sport Association. 

O’Connell himself was also the recipient of a gong to mark the 50th Anniversary of his boxing award presented to him in 1974.

Accompanied by his wife Martina, Doug was warmly congratulated by member of the Cork County Board, and various Cork clubs.

Doug Minihane’s contribution to the promotion and development of boxing was magnificently acclaimed in a richly deserved way. 

And he is a wordy winner of this prestigious award.

Meanwhile, On Friday last, Mick O’Sullivan, the President of the Glen Boxing Club was laid to rest. 

Michael O’Sullivan was a warm kind gentleman who was softly spoken and was genuinely loved by all within the Cork boxing community.

As a young man he hurled with his beloved Na Piarsaigh. 

Mick was also an accomplished boxer, renowned in boxing halls throughout Munster and the holder of a number of provincial titles.

Mick was a proud Northsider and devoted many years to the Glen Boxing Club. 

Forty years ago, as an active tradesman Mick put a lot of voluntary work into the construction of the Glen Boxing Club which was officially opened in 1984.

In 2016, in his capacity as President of the Glen BC, Mick presided over a year of centenary celebrations. 

In 2020, he welcomed all, prior to Covid, to the Glen Club to mark the centenary of the death of Tomas MacCurtain, who was the first president of Ireland’s oldest boxing club.

For three days last week, the tri-colour flew at half-mast outside the club. 

At his funeral mass at the North Cathedral, club members in club tracksuits provided a guard of honour, while saying a sad farewell to a decent man, who died as he lived without any great amount of fuss.

May he rest in peace.