After years of planning, and an investment of hundreds of thousands of Euro, Monkstown Boxing Club’s premises has finally opened.
The club, which is home to Paris Olympian Jack Marley, High Performance boxer Sean Mari, and multiple Dublin, Leinster & National champions and underage international athletes, has been housed on the upper floors of Mounttown Community Facility since 2010.
The club house includes changing facilities, kitchen, toilets & medical room, as well as two full-size rings, 8 bags and additional floor space.
The sod was turned on the building in January 2024, and the club will begin training there this week.
The facility, built on the car park of Mounttown Community Centre which currently houses the club, is a collaborative Part 8 project between Monkstown Boxing Club and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council Council. Construction was supported by the award of €150,000 to Monkstown BC under the Sports Capital Grant programme in 2022.
This Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council artist’s rendering of the inside of the club house shows the training space on the left, and entrance and utility spaces on the right.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Jim O’Leary, CEO Frank Curran and Monkstown Boxing Club’s JP Kinsella officiated at today’s opening ceremony, which was also attended by Dublin County Board President, Art O’Brien, National Secretary, Tara Robins Mari, and National Development Manager James Geraghty.
Pairings have been revealed for the latest in IABA’s series of Youth Internationals.
Ireland’s 2025 National Youth Competition gold and silver medalists will take on a composite team of India and France on Thursday March 27th at the National Stadium, Dublin and at Holy Family Boxing Club, Drogheda on Friday, March 28th.
The teams include boxers from 12 counties: Armagh, Cork, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Waterford, Westmeath and Wexford This follows an Ireland V Wales Youth International, hosted at the historic Guildhall in Derry, on March 1st. Ireland were the 10 bouts to 4 victors (more here)
These internationals are key development opportunities for the boxing stars of the future, designed to simultaneously grow their skills and represent Ireland.
Dates & Locations:
Ireland V France & India #1: National Stadium, 145 South Circular Road, Dublin on Thursday 27th March @ 7pm
Ireland V France & India #2: Holy Family Boxing Club, Ballsgrove, Drogheda Co. Louth on Friday 28th March @ 7pm
Tickets
Adults: €20
Children, under 16: €10
Club bundles: 10 tickets €150
Team Ireland – Ireland V France & India #1
The National Stadium, Dublin, Thursday March 27th from 7pm.
Junior Bout: 57kg Layla Kelly (Balboyle) V Sharon Cabane, France
47kg Ava McCabe (Jobstown) V Tania Dalmeida, France
48kg Abbey Molloy (Sacred Heart) V Nidhi, India
50kg Sky Ward (Neilstown), V Yakshika, India
51kg Michael Reilly (St Pauls) V Harshul, India
52kg Jessica Gallagher (Mulhuddart) V Nisha, India
54kg Elma Barry (Setanta) V Renu, India
57kg Lochlainn Beagan (SD Keady), V Abhi Dhankhar, India
57kg Teagan Farrelly (Dunboyne) V Shana Fernandez, France
60kg Kelsey Langan (Ballina) V Maely Panizzutti, France
60kg Daniel Hunter (Corpus Christi Belfast) V Jatin, India
70kg Chloe Poleon (Dunboyne) V Durga Sri, India
71kg Rati Abolzade (Togher), V Sarthi Saini, India
75kg Nessa Tubachuk (Celtic Eagles) V Maissa Kermezian, France
80kg Chulainn McDonnell (Whitechurch) V Dipanshu, India
91kg Christopher Stokes (Crumlin) V Nikhil, India
91+kg Michael Olaloko (Swords) V Saifali Sajid, India
Team Manager: Anna Moore
Team Ireland – Ireland V France & India #2
Holy Family Boxing Club, Drogheda, Friday March 28th from 7pm.
Special Contests:
43kg Dillon Connelly, St. Paul’s Boxing Club, Antrim V Cory Smith, Santry Boxing Club, Dublin
46kg Alekesej Lazic, St. Nicholas Boxing Club, Tipperary V Robert Quinn, St. Paul’s Boxing Club, Antrim
International Card
46kg Sophie Curley Grey V Tania Dalmeida, France
48kg Ella Joy Thompson V TBC
48kg Caoimhin Connolly V Nidhi, India
52kg Kayleigh Byrne V Nisha, India
54kg James McCann V Abhi Dankhar, India
57kg Grace Conway V Shaina Fernandez, France
62kg Louis Griffin V Jatin, India
68kg Sarah Murphy V Durga Saini, India
57kg Sean McCusker V Jatin, India
71kg John Donaghue V Saini Sarthi, India
86kg Shay O’Dowd V Dipanshu, India
Team Manager: Jim Gormon
Athlete Arrangements
Weigh In and medicals for both events will be in the National Stadium on Thursday, March 27th from 12pm to 1pm. There is no weight allowance.
Boxers are to arrive 5.45pm on the evening of both cards. Boxing starts at 7pm. Please ensure to bring record books to the weigh-in
IABA is hosting a workshop on Understanding Physical Literacy.
Physical literacy is the ability to move with confidence in a wide variety of physical activities in multiple environments that benefit the healthy development of the whole person. Boxing training, and all sports, is an excellent way to create and develop physical literacy from childhood to older age. This workshop is taking place online on March 27th, between 6pm and 9pm. Registration is available here: https://shout.com/s/kHIYMMpp
Participants will receive an access link in advance of the workshop.
This workshop is being co-ordinated by IABA Education and Training Officer, Nikki Foley, contactable through nicola@iaba.ie
IABA’s Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Officer, Patrick Adejayan, has commissioned and is funding the Irish Wheelchair Association to deliver in-person wheelchair accessibility awareness training on Tuesday, April 8th.
The 3-hour Accessibility Awareness (In-Person) Training introduces participants to the key principles of Universal Access, Universal Design, Disability Access Certificates and Access Auditing to ensure all aspects of the built environment are accessible.
This practical workshop is highly interactive, with videos, discussions, case studies, design appraisals, route appraisals, problem-solving of everyday scenarios, examples of everyday barriers faced by people with disabilities and more.
After completing the workshop, participants will receive an Irish Wheelchair Association Certificate of Attendance and a resource manual for inclusive activities.
Date and Location
The National Stadium, Tuesday 8th April between 11am and 2pm.
Places are limited. If you register for a place on this course and cannot attend, please advise IABA’s DEI Officer, Patrick Adejayan, through patrick.ad@iaba.ie so that your place can be offered to an IABA member on the waiting list.
