IABA ANNUAL AWARDS - Irish Athletic Boxing Association

Joe Ward finds the target in the 2017 World Elite semi-final

Ireland’s boxers, coaches, clubs, referees & judges, administrators and legends were honoured at a sold-out Irish Athletic Boxing Association Annual Awards night at the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel in Dublin this evening.

Joe Ward, the current European and World Elite gold and silver medallist, received the Best Overall Boxer Award.

Tim O’Sullivan, current President of the Cork Ex-Boxers Association, was inducted into the IABA Hall of Fame, and Stephen Connolly, IABA National Registrar, received a Lifetime Service Award.

Irish boxing, despite losing many of its experienced athletes to the professional code after Rio 2016, still claimed 29 medals in World and European competition in 2017.

In eight World and European tournaments at all levels from Elite to Schoolboy last season, Ireland never finished outside the top ten in the medals table.

Dominic O’Rourke, President of the IABA, hailed performances in international and domestic tournaments in 2017.

“Our boxers did the nation proud in international competition and their performances augur well as we head into the qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics, he said.

Dean Clancy, Callum Walsh, Jude Gallagher and Thomas Doherty

“Our coaching staff and staff at the IABA and our clubs, club coaches and administrators contributed significantly to our success in 2017 at home and abroad.”

Michael O’Brien, President of the Cork Board, was MC this evening and paid tribute the late Jimmy Magee of RTE fame who had worked as IABA MC at numerous Award ceremonies in the past.

O’Brien described Ireland’s boxers as a source of consistent pride.

Ward, Brendan Irvine, Michaela Walsh, Kellie Harrington, Kurt Walker and Grainne Walsh claimed Elite World and European medals in 2017.

Aoibhe Carabine and Daina Moorehouse

The Olympic BC in Galway took home the Best Club and Best Coaching staff awards in a remarkable double. Three of the club’s boxers, Gabriel Dossan, Patrick Donovan and Patrick Sweeney, were also honoured.

“We’ve come from very humble beginnings and it’s the first time in our history we’ve won this award and it’s a very proud moment for us,” said Olympic BC head coach Mike Mongan.

IABA Annual Awards Louis Fitzgerald Hotel

2017 EUROPEAN 52KG BRONZE MEDALIST

BRENDAN IRVINE ST PAUL B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN 56KG BRONZE MEDALIST

KURT WALKER CANAL B.C

2017 EUROPEAN 81KG GOLD MEDALIST

2017 WORLD ELITE 81KG SILVER MEDALIST

JOE WARD MOATE B.C

2017 EUROPEAN YOUTH 48KG BRONZE MEDALIST

LAUREN KELLY ST BRIGIDS EDENDERRY B.C

2017 EUROPEAN JUNIOR 46KG BRONZE MEDALIST

CIARA BRIEN ST DAVIDS, NAAS B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN JUNIOR 50KG BRONZE MEDALIST

CATHERINE BLANEY NAVAN B.C

2017 EUROPEAN JUNIOR 48KG GOLD MEDALIST

DAINA MOOREHOUSE ENNISKERRY B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN JUNIOR 75KG GOLD MEDALIST

AOIBHE CARRABINE GEESALA B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 40KG BRONZE MEDALIST

BROOKLYN SAUNDERS BALLBOUGH B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 41.5KG BRONZE MEDALIST

JAKE CHARLES MULLINGAR ELITE B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 44.5KG BRONZE MEDALIST

CAHIR GORMLEY MAYDOWN OLYMPIC B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 46KG SILVER MEDALIST

PATRICK SWEENEY OLYMPIC B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 50KG SILVER MEDALIST

PATRICK DONOVAN OLYMPIC B.C

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 52KG BRONZE MEDALIST

CAIN LEWIS BALLYMUN B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 56KG SILVER MEDALIST

EOGHAN LAVIN BALLYHAUNIS B.C

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 66KG BRONZE MEDALIST

JOHN WARD BROSNA B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 72KG BRONZE MEDALIST

SEAN WALSH TROJAN B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN SCHOOLBOY 80KG BRONZE MEDALIST

JORDAN WARD BAY CITY B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN UNION 54KG GOLD MEDALIST

MICHAELA WALSH MONKSTOWN B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN UNION 60KG SILVER MEDALIST

KELLIE HARRINGTON ST MARY’S B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN UNION 69KG BRONZE MEDALIST

GRAINNE WALSH SPARTICUS B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN MENS JUNIOR 52KG SILVER MEDALIST

DEAN CLANCY BALLINACARROW B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN MENS JUNIOR 60KG GOLD MEDALIST

CALLUM WALSH RIVERSTOWN B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN MENS YOUTH 64KG BRONZE MEDALIST

GABRIEL DOSSAN OLYMPIC B.C.

2017 EUROPEAN MENS YOUTH 75KG BRONZE MEDALIST

JORDAN MYERS SLIGO CITY B.C.

2017 AIBA WORLD YOUTH 48KG BRONZE MEDALIST

CAITLIN FRYERS IMMACULATA B.C.

2017 AIBA WORLD YOUTH 64KG BRONZE MEDALIST

KATELYNN PHELAN ST BRIGIDS B.C.

2017 BEST MALE SENIOR BOXER

JASON CLANCY BALLINACARROW B.C.

2017 BEST FEMALE SENIOR BOXER

NIAMH EARLY RYSTON B.C.

2017 BEST MALE ELITE BOXER

DEAN WALSH ST IBARS B.C.

2017 BEST OVERALL BOXER

JOE WARD MOATE B.C.

2017 CLUB OF THE YEAR

OLYMPIC BOXING CLUB

2017 COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR

OLYMPIC BOXING CLUB

2017 HALL OF FAME AWARD

TIM O’SULLIVAN CORK

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Stephen Connolly (IABA REGISTRAR)