President Anto Donnelly will bestow a series of awards on the evening of the 2026 National Elite Championship Finals.
Boxing on January 17th will begin at 6pm; awards presentations will take place from 5.15pm. Doors open at 4.45pm.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Christy McKenna
Christy’s boxing career began in the 1960s as a member of Drogheda Boxing Club. He had success winning National titles at the age of 12 & 15 years old. He also reached 2 x National Junior Finals and lost National Senior Final in 1972 to Charlie Nash who represented Ireland at the Olympic Games and became European Professional Champion.
Christy began his coaching career with Drogheda Boxing Club, where he spent 5 years. In 1980 he was among the founders of Holy Family Boxing Club, becoming an integral part of the team which produced provincial, national and international success. His has coached at international level at 3 World Championships, 5 European Championships, 3 Olympic qualification tournaments and numerous multi nations and International.
The boxing tradition runs in the McKenna family. Christy coached his son Damien to national and international success and more recently witnessed his grandson Adam winning National honours.
Christy’s extensive contributions to Louth County Board as Chairperson, National Coaching Tutor, and as a Central Council member of the IABA has helped grow our sport in a positive manner for many of years.
Stan Blanche
Stan, a native of Wexford, had his first fight in New Ross in 1952, and beginning a life of dedication to our sport.
He moved to London as a 14 year old, where he competed in 80 contests, winning both London and Divisional titles.
In the early 1960s he emigrated to Australia, where he settled in Melbourne, and took up professional boxing, with moderate success in some 37 boxing contests.
In retiring to London in 1972 he became a coach in the Middle Row Boxing Club. In 1980, he returned to Wexford and founded the storied St. Michael’s Boxing Club. The club has won dozens of Irish titles under his leadership, and had scores of boxers representing Ireland. The club also has the proud record of producing three professional boxers – Sylvester Furlong, Jason Blanche and Derek Roche, who won a British title.
Honours In Memoriam
Presentations will be made in memorium to the families and loved ones of members of the boxing family who passed away in 2025.
Breandán Ó Conaire
A 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.
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.
Joe Vaughan
Joe Vaughan was the founder of West Finglas Boxing Club.
Joe, a native of Moy in North Clare, died tragically following a fire at his home there in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He was 75.
As well as founding, managing and growing West Finglas Boxing Club and, Joe was highly active in the local community over a period of decades. Aside from his love of boxing, Joe taught Business and Maths at Coláiste Dhúlaigh for 38 years, where he raised over €100,000 for Dom Savio Youth Club for young people experiencing mental or physical challenges through a range of fundraising events.
Joe Hennigan
Joe Hennigan, a native of Co. Mayo, gave over 60 years of service to boxing at club, county, provincial and national level.
He was the driving force behind Ardaree Boxing Club in his native county for decades, serving there as a coach and administrator. He was also elected President of the Mayo County Board, and served for a considerable time as President of the Connacht Provincial Council. He was honoured in 2012 with IABA’s National Administrator accolade and in 2013 with the Connacht’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Joe was also a qualified Judge and Referee, and gave thousands of hours of his time to the officiating of bouts at all levels of the Association.
On the international stage, Joe’s contribution to the leadership of IABA teams at benchmark tournaments was immense. He led teams over a period of in excess of two decades at European and World level, from Junior to Elite, including the European Championships in Poland in 2003, the European Youth Championships in 2011, the European Junior Championships in Russia in 2018 and the 2020 Elite World Championships.
His greatest honour as Team Manager was to lead Team Ireland at all Olympic qualification tournaments and training camps in the Rio cycle, culminating in management of the team during the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Shortly thereafter, in 2017, Joe was elected Vice President of the IABA. A Lifetime Services to Boxing Award was bestowed upon Joe in 2023 in recognition of his dedication to our sport, and our community.
Paul Loonam Senior
Paul Loonam Senior, of Back Road, Pullough, Tullamore, Offaly was a stalwart and highly respected member of the Boxing Family over many decades, serving as a club and national coach, and as a Referee and Judge of long-standing at county, provincial and national level.
Paul served for many years as a member of Offaly County Board, and a key coach in the Leinster Development Squad
Peter O’Donnell
The Voice of Irish Boxing, Peter O’Donnell – the man whose dulcet and distinctive tones called tens of thousands of boxers to the ring in the home of Irish Boxing, and unveiled many thousands as IABA champions.
Peter has given decades of service to boxing, as a founder member of his beloved Raphoe Boxing Club, and as an elected official of Donegal County Board, where he was the serving President, and of Ulster Boxing Council. He is survived by Pauline; his children Rory (Orla), Edel (Donal), and Paul (Holly); his grandchildren Caolin, Ryan, Amber, Zoe, Harper, Luca, and Gracie; his sisters and brothers Mary, Willie, Jim, Hugo, Paul, Marjory, Sally, and Grainne; his sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, and all his extended family and friends.
Peter also represented Ireland on the international stage – was the joint Team Ireland Manager for the Monkstown International Box Cup in July, and he wa Team Manager for the 2024 European Junior Boxing Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He led Team Ireland at the 2021 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in Belgrade and was previously team manager at the 2015 European Elite Championships in Bulgaria.
Peter is, rightfully, held in high regard in his native Donegal, and is a multiple winner of Donegal Sports Star awards, including Team Manager of the Year and community appreciation accolades.
Jim Moore
Jim Moore was a decades long presence in Arklow Boxing Club, Wicklow County Board and was a pivotal figure as High Performance Youth and Juniors Head Coach, and was a driving force behind podium finishes at World youth and junior championships as well as European youths and junior championships up to 2010 – including at the inaugural Youth Olympics at which Ryan Burnett won gold.
In 2001, he was awarded the prestigious ESB Coach of the Year Award, having been nominated by IABA and Wicklow County Board after the world championships in Belfast in the same year.
A boxer from Cadet age himself with multiple titles, Jim also contributed significantly to the development of coaching throughout the IABA, as a Coach Tutor, delivering learning to club members taking the first steps in their coaching careers.
Paul McCullough Junior
25 year old Paul McCullough Junior passed away on New Year’s Day. He was a member of clubs including St. John Bosco Belfast and his family’s McCullagh’s ABC, Paul won his first title in 2012, and an Ulster Elite heavyweight title in 2019. In the same year Paul represented Ulster High Performance against New York and represented Ireland in a dual nations international against the Netherlands.
Paul turned pro after his 2019 success, and recorded a number of wins. Paul’s grandfather and father were both champion amateur boxers, the latter boxing out of Immaculata BC. Paul’s grandfather was a highly regarded pro and amateur coach and his father is a pro referee.
