Cork boxing clubs can reflect on another great year inside and outside the ring

Following the completion of another dynamic and record-breaking season for Cork boxing, clubs are now reflecting on their own success as they prepare and plan for the new season ahead.

For the fifth year in succession, Cork clubs have continuously raised the bar culminating in excess of 40 national titles coming south this year. 

By any standard, this is extraordinary success, and represents national titles being won in every grade from underage to elite, by both male and female athletes.

This conveyor belt of constant high achievement is directly attributable to the outstanding work done by the coaches in all clubs throughout the city and county. 

Cork boxers are now getting the recognition they deserve, and are being acknowledged accordingly through the various awards sponsored by the Cork Boxing Fraternity Association, the Cork Ex-Boxers group and of late international friends of Cork boxing where two of its vice presidents Dan O’Connell and recently,Donie Carroll, have provided prestigious perpetual cups to benefit both the club and the individual boxer.

For the coming season, the Cork County Board is planning to introduce the Cork County Open Senior Boxing Championships. 

A Leeside festival of underage boxing, a university scholarship programme, and exploring the possibility of organising an annual International Box Cup. 

A sub-committee, under the chairmanship of Will Rossal of De Courcey BC has been tasked with making recommendations to the boards within six months.

Meanwhile, one of the most important functions of a county board official is that of timekeeper. 

It’s the sound of the bell, which creates the focus of mind for all, both inside and outside of the ring. 

The current county board timekeeper is Rose Murphy from the Togher BC and she is doing a very competent job.

Prior to Rose, Aine McLoughlin held the post, and she has now moved to the very important position of County Board Child Protection Officer. 

The timekeeper for many years before Aine, was the evergreen Mick Devane, from the Riverstown club.

Mick always displayed great devotion to duty and was always an ever-present on the Cork boxing scene.

One of the great characters of Rebel County boxing was the late Bunny O’Hare of the Fr. Horgan’s BC. 

O’Hare held the post from 1955 until 1990. 

A supreme timekeeper. He is acknowledged as one of the most respected figures in Irish boxing.

It was common sight to see him at tournaments throughout Ireland clutching his beloved bell whilst keeping one eye on the stopwatch and the other on the bout. 

He liked, after he tolled the final bell on CCBB business, to retire to his local hostelry where he would reflect on the evening’s activity and look forward to his next shift.

O’Hare regularly declared that boxing was in his blood. 

He was educated at Eason`s Hill National School and was interested in all sports. 

He was also involved in drag hunting and played soccer with Rockville FC.

He was born in Fair Lane on the northside and enjoyed meeting sports stars and discussing the changing face of every sport from one generation to the next. 

Many of his uncles and relatives were involved in boxing and O’Hare always displayed insight and wisdom when reflecting on the success of Cork’s boxers. 

When asked to name some of these ring legends he had seen in action, he replied, “Paddy Martin was outstanding, along with Seamus Cummins, Ray Donnelly and Seanie O’Mahony, Willie Byrd, Connie Morrissey and Neilly Dunne.”

He was also very appreciative of the talent of Timmy McNamee, Don Murray, and Paul Power and described Tommy Hyde as very special.

He was a proud member of his own unit, the Fr Horgan’s BC, and would regularly boast that they were the first club to bring the juvenile cup out of Dublin which some fine prospects from that era including Connie Buckley, Dave Dunlea and Michael Ahern.

In 1976, the then Lord Mayor of Cork, Sean French, made a special presentation to O’Hare in recognition of his devotion to boxing on the northside of the city.

At that time, Cork’s first citizen stated that O’Hare's contribution represented, in essence, the finest qualities of volunteerism in sport and City Hall was proud to acknowledge that contribution over many years.

O’Hare was a man whose dedication to the promotion and development of the noble art in his native county will always be remembered. 

He was revered as a person who spoke his mind irrespective of the consequence of where the truth lay. 

At the national Stadium in Dublin, he was always in the metaphorical red corner, even if a Cork boxer was in the blue corner, on big fight nights. In an ambiguous decision, as he saw it, went against a Leeside athlete, he would immediately be on his feet remonstrating with the chief official. He was quintessentially a Cork boxing man at every level.

During his period as timekeeper, which spanned 35 years, Cork County Board Championships and leagues took place at many venues throughout the city.

There was always uncertainty as to where the next tournament would be held. 

But irrespective of where these events took place, there was one thread of consistency, and that was that O’Hare would always arrive on time with his bell and stopwatch. 

The show would always go on.

“We must always be grateful for the contribution of people such as Bunny O’Hare. People such as Bunny kept the sport going through thick and thin down through the decades and as long as I am president we will always acknowledge and reflect on the outstanding contribution of such men as the late and great Bunny O’Hare”, said Cork County Board president Michael O’Brien.