IABA’s DEI Officer, Patrick Adejayan, is hosting a series of events celebrating diversity and inclusion within the boxing family. These evenings will share storytelling and lived-experience of boxing club leaders in each province on the D&I journey in their club.
Speakers will include: Gabe Cronnelly, Phil Sutcliffe, Lynda McGrath, Fergus Turner, Nicola Hayden, Paddy Dingle, Stephen Dixon and Shane Curran
Each evening will also explore, through an Irish Centre for Diversity workshop:
The facts and myths of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)
What D&I is – and what it isn’t
The benefits of D&I in sport generally, and within the IABA specifically
How D&I can be embedded at local/provincial levels
Potential D&I goals and how these might be achieved
How success can be measured – using both short- and long-term metrics, including data on current positioning and future goals
Workshop Dates & Locations – all events begin at 6pm.
Tralee Thursday, 7th August 2025: Benners Hotel Tralee, Upper Castle Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Booking is now open for IABA’s Coaching Teenage Girls online workshop.
It is open to all coaches and focusses on retention of teenage girls, the psycho-social needs of teenage girls in sport, practical strategies to foster the coach/athlete relationship and the affect puberty has on the mind and body of teenage girls and how can coaches support this.
The workshop has four sections:
What we know about teenage girls in sport and the role of the coach
Inside the mind and body of teenage girls
The coaching environment
Opportunities beyond the workshop
Particulars
Date: Tuesday, 29th July
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Location: Online – Microsoft Teams
Cost: €10
Registration: via the Workshop section of your club’s Blocworx portal
Details of more online and in-person Coaching Teenage Girls workshops will be made available shortly.
Entries are now being accepted, via clubs’ Blocworx portals, to two competitions: the 2025 National U15 Championships (boxers born in 2011 and 2012) and the 2025 National U23 Championships (boxers born 2003 and 2006).
The entry period for both championships will run until 5pm on Friday, August 1st. The draws for both will be held on Tuesday, August 5th.
Advisory
Both Championships will run simultaneously. The U15s will be in the Main Stadium, the U23s will be in Ringside.
All entrants must hold a current up to date Irish passport, with at least 6 months remaining to expiry.
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association is today mourning the passing of a giant of our sport.
Former President of the Association, Breandán Ó Conaire of Dublin’s Bay City Boxing Club, was elected in 1996 and served for two terms. Breandán continued to represent Irish boxing internationally, most recently attending World governing body commission meetings as recently as 2017. Internationally, Breandán was installed as Chairman of the European Amateur Boxing Associations R&J Committee in 2006, having, also served an 8 year term as Secretary of the AIBA’s Technical and Rules Commission from 1998 to 2006.
Breandán gave counsel and advice to boxing leaders long after his respective terms of office concluded and was inducted in the IABA Hall of Fame in 2023. The IABA President’s Award was bestowed upon him in the same year.
President of the IABA Anto Donnelly, says “Breandán was a proud, passionate advocate for our sport – and was a stabilising, pioneering leader during a very difficult period in Irish boxing’s lifetime. His contribution to officiating at domestic, European and World level was an extraordinary one, leaving a lasting legacy for fairness and boxer safety. This is a very sad day for the Boxing community and more so for Breandán’s family, to whom he was devoted – we extend to them our deepest condolences on their profound loss”
Breandán was also a passionate advocate of the Irish language, with a highly respected academic career. He retired as head of Roinn na Gaeilge (Irish Department) at Coláiste Phádraig (St. Patrick’s College), Dublin City University (DCU) in 2007. His academic contributions were extensive, with a special interest in Irish literature, language, and cultural history, including 19th and 20th century Irish boxing history. He was also the Director of Comhdháil an Chraoibhín (the Douglas Hyde Conference) and Editor of its Proceedings from 1990–2002.
Devoted husband of the late Rhóda, Breandán is survived by his children, Ciarán, Cormac, Aonghus and Aisling, and his four grandchildren, Cillian, Daithí, Saoirse and Naoise, his sister Ann, brothers Kevin and Francis, extended family, Marcela, Clodagh, Cathy and Will, friends, and former colleagues.
Breandán will lie in repose at at Stafford’s Funeral Home, Golf Links Road, Portmarnock on Wednesday July 23rd between 2pm and 4pm. His removal to St Anne’s Church, Portmarnock, arriving for Funeral Mass at 10am, will take place on Thursday, July 24th. Burial will take place thereafter in Fingal Cemetery.
Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to St. Francis Hospice or the Alzheimer Society of Ireland
The Funeral Mass may be viewed HERE and condolences may be expressed HERE
Congratulation to all the new Under 19 champions, we will have squad training information out to you soon.
There will be a National Under 17’s Competition held later this year, this will accommodate the European Championships being held in Germany in December. Dates and venue will be announced shortly; we are hoping for early October.
Reminder – All the officials and R&Js are volunteers; without them we couldn’t run any Championships. Thank you for all the hard work and dedication throughout the year.
Under 15s (formerly Junior Cadets) starting on the 8th of August in the Main Stadium.
Under 23s starting also on the 8th of August in Ringside.
Note: Pro wraps are permitted in the U23 Championship, there is an error on the circular.
Central Council have two training camps this year, both in Sheffield
England v Ireland Under 19’s Training Camp, 12th – 14th September 2025
It is the responsibility of the Clubs to ensure that Boxing Cards are collected at all Tournaments.
Transfer Window
The months of July and August are the designed months for boxers to transfer between clubs. Outside of these months, transfer may only be granted in exceptional circumstances, for example, a change of home address. Club disciplinary procedures will not constitute exceptional circumstances. In all cases of transfer, the prescribed form (Appendix 4 of the IABA Rulebook) must be completed by the boxer and both clubs and submitted to the immediate governing body of the new club.
Nationally Calendared Box Cups
Monkstown Box Cup
We are delighted to have an Irish Team entering the Monkstown Boxing Cup this year. It starts on the 24th of this month, we wish JP and all the committee the very best of luck with the Tournament.
