Cork boxing family looking forward to the re-opening of Bishop Lucy Park

Many in Cork boxing circles are now looking forward to the official opening of the revamped plaza style Bishop Lucey Park which is due to take place on Friday, November 14th.

The city centre park will once again become a great amenity for the people of Cork after the extensive renovations by Cumnor Construction Ltd. took almost two years to complete. 

An important feature of the park will see the return of the now famed Cork Boxing Wall, and the occasion will be graced by the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Fergal Dennehy and An Taoiseach Micheàl Martin, two ardently committed boxing men.

Over the last 12 years, both of these men have attended many boxing ceremonies in the park, and in 2016, Micheal Martin unveiled a plaque perpetuating the memory of his father Paddy 'the champ' Martin, while throughout this period Fergal Dennehy has been secretary of the much-acclaimed Togher boxing club. 

The return of the boxing wall once again will mean so much to Cork boxing followers as much of the sport's rich history and heritage is recorded on the various plaques which will adorn the wall.

Many of the names of Leeside's great pugilists and their sporting achievements will be revealed on these plaques. 

These include former undefeated and undisputed world lightweight champion the great Jack McAuliffe, The Gorgeous Gael Jack Doyle, the honorary Cork man Steve Collins, who won and defended his world super middleweight title in Cork, the legendary Pakie O'Mahony, Ireland's famed heavyweight champion, the majestic Mick Leahy, who won the Lonsdale Belt and the British Middleweight Crown.

There is a great book in all of these boxers. 

The other great stars from Cork's boxing past includes the history the illustrious Buckley boxing family from Mallow, while many of Cork's household boxing names included on the various plaques are, Paddy 'the champ' Martin, Tommy Hyde, the ten outstanding athletes from Cork who represented Ireland at the Olympic Games in boxing between 1924 and the year 2000.

Included in these names are Kieran Joyce, the Cork Boxer of the Century, and Christina Desmond, who was a junior Olympian in China in 2013, and went on to become Cork's most successful international elite boxer.

Much of The Rebel county's other boxing folklore is contained on plaques in tributes to Danzer Nagle, Tim O'Sullivan, Willie O'Leary, Maurice Walsh, and Cork's most successful coach, Albie Murphy. 

The young guns feature on a plaque which contains the names and clubs of each of Cork's ten juvenile boxers, who won either European or world championship medals and of course, there is a plaque saluting the history of Ireland's oldest boxing club, the Glen BC.

These plaques on display in the new park will afford many the opportunity to reflect on Cork's boxing past while it is hoped they may inspire others to become part of Cork's boxing future.

Meanwhile, the Cork County Boxing Board's awards night, hosted by the Lord Mayor Cllr Fergal Dennehy was deemed a great success by the clubs. 

There was a big welcome for the board's innovation of honouring those club committee members who do a lot of unseen but very essential work in the running of clubs on a daily basis.

Recently, 12 members from various clubs throughout the city and county were publicly acknowledged and congratulated by the Lord Mayor and were presented with a silver salver in recognition of their magnificent volunteerism by the IABA, chief executive officer Gary Stuart, who was the guest of honour at the function. 

Nine of this year’s award winners were featured in a recent Echo two page boxing special. 

The remaining three awardees are now pictured on this page.

Congratulations are extended to Susan Murray, Muskerry BC, Kieran Crowley, St Martha's BC, and Paddy McSweeney, Spartan BC.

Elsewhere, the opening round of the Cork County Boxing League took place at the Cove Boxing Club last Thursday night. 

The host club had everything in first class order, to facilitate the smooth running of the event, and a great night of very competitive boxing ensued. 

The board president Michael O'Brien expressed his acknowledgement and appreciation to the matchmaker Shane Forde and to all who officiated on the night.

The league will run consecutively each Thursday over the ten-week programme. 

Outside of the ring, the Cork boxing community were saddened to hear of the death of Bobby Fettis last week. 

Bobby was a good hard and very stylish prospect who had tremendous potential. 

He was a very popular and unassuming sportsman. 

In 2017, he was honoured at a Cork Boxing Breakfast and was presented with a beautifully elevated piece of glass by Conal Thomas, who is the president of the Cork Boxing Fraternity Association. 

Bobby boxed with Sunnyside, briefly with The Glen, but most of his successes were achieved when he boxed with CCYMS, and that club was based in Castle Street. 

They later moved to Grattan Street and changed the name of the club to Matt Talbott's BC.

The young Fettis won a host of underage and juvenile titles. 

Bobby then made a great impression in the junior ranks winning many county medals and Munster Championships. 

He then set sail for the senior ranks. 

In 1960, amongst a number of other Cork hopefuls he was given an opportunity to go to England and turn professional.

Over a three-year period, he had 15 fights winning ten and showing great potential however he lost his zest for the sport and returned home to work with the Natt Ross firm. 

In the 1970's, he became a prominent member of the Cork Ex-Boxers Association and a committee member with the Glen BC.

Following his passing many tributes were paid to him by lifelong boxing colleagues and friends including Donie Crean, Paddy Gough, Derry McCarthy, Tommy Kelleher, Don Murray and many others. 

The Chairman of the Cork Ex-Boxers association JJ Murphy ensured with the consent of the family that Bobby's coffin was proudly draped with the Ex-Boxers Flag. 

The president of the Cork County Boxing Board Michael O'Brien extended sympathy to Bobby's wife and family on behalf of all in Cork boxing.