Lord Mayor Fergal Dennehy was a great friend to Cork boxing, its clubs and members

Many boxing clubs throughout the country now believe that the IABA should not organise championship boxing during the months of July and August, as the season is by far to demanding and is also becoming shapeless.                            

Amateur boxing in this country is a sport which is run by volunteers and the authorities in Dublin who organise such events must take notice of the clubs and their volunteers, many of whom pack in the sport prematurely as a consequence of being completely jaded, with no proper holidays, loss of workplace overtime, family life in the home disrupted, all because of negligent administrators. 

Sadly, many of these people are stuck in an antiquated grove, afraid to face change, and the only life they know is hanging around the National Boxing Stadium. 

The Cork County Boxing Board, prior to the next convention in October, will submit a variety of motions concerning a number of remedial proposals to address the current impasse. 

Equally, however, it must be said that in this writer's opinion the IABA  now has a very progressive and proactive president in Anto Donnelly, and a very astute and hardworking new CEO in Gary Stewart.  

A meeting of constructive minds may bring about badly needed change, which should take into consideration, also the educational priorities of our young athletes.                

Elsewhere, the secretary of the Togher Boxing Club Fergal Dennehy has completed his 12 month term as the Lord Mayor of Cork. 

In the opinion of many Corkonians, Fergal did an outstanding job as Leeside's first citizen. 

Ably assisted by the Lady Mayoress Karen Brennan, they raised the bar to new heights and were outstanding ambassadors for the city both at home and throughout the world. 

At a recent Lord Mayor's civic awards cermony, whick took place at a packed City Hall, the Cork City Council chief executive officer Valerie O'Sullivan paid a glowing tribute to Fergal's year in office.

"Lord Mayor, you played a blinder both at home and abroad."

From a boxing perspective the former Lord Mayor was very generous with his time and received many delegation's during the year, these included members of the Mayfield Boxing Club when they made history by winning the double in the same year, which represented winning the club of the year award and becoming the most successful club at the Cork County Championship's. 

Cllr Dennehy also hosted a night for the Cork County Board, the Boxing Fraternity Association, and the Cork Ex-Boxers, on other occasions at different times during the year he welcomed to City Hall many of Cork's All-Ireland champions, and European medalists. 

In addition, he congratulated and welcomed 15 Cork boxers, who represented Ireland in international championships over the last three years. 

On each of these occasions the guests enjoyed a tour of the City Hall which was complimented by brief history of the building. 

As part of the heritage and folklore of boxing in the southern capital he also welcomed various other groups such as the International Friends of Cork Boxing, led by Dan O'Connell, who made a presentation to the then Lord Mayor, members of the MacCurtain family, who were linked to boxing through Tomas MacCurtain, who was the first president of the Glen BC.

Fergal also hosted visits from the families representing the boxing Buckley's of Mallow, and many other delegations, including the entire family of Christina Desmond to mark her retirement from amateur boxing. 

On the eve of his final day in the job he welcomed many members of his own club, Togher BC. 

On the last day of his whirlwind year, the then Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress Karen Brennan were presented with a silver tray which was suitably inscribed. 

This presentation was made by the president of the Cork County Boxing Board Michael O'Brien, who warmly congratulated them on a great year and expressed his gratitude and that of the Cork County Board for the many visits to City Hall which were appreciated and fully enjoyed by all strands of the boxing community.                                 

At a boxing breakfast which took place at The Muskerry Arms in Blarney recently, the guest speaker was Caitriona Twomey, one of this countries great humanitarians, and the woman who won widespread acclamation for her work on behalf of Cork Penny Dinners. 

Caitriona in a magnificent address outlined the importance of gender balance in Irish society today. 

Sport is a safety valve in society she said and it is important to have parity of in all sports. however she believed that is not the case everywhere, but stressed the Cork Boxing Board were an example to all, on how they conduct their business where equality is practised every day of the week. Following her address, Caitriona on behalf of the board, made presentations to two female officers, Nicola Murphy, the treasurer and Louise Forde, the registrar. 

The president of the board then the gave a comprehensive outline of the work undertaken by the two young ladies and said he fully concurred with everything miss Twomey said and that both Nicola and Louise had given many years of great service to boxing while rearing their families and holding down a job. 

However, he added its on days like this that one comes to fully appreciate the remarkable contribution made to sport by two magnificent female volunteers such as Nicola and Louise.