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A significant honour for Irish boxing

Monday, 08 August 2011 09:53

1 Comments

Sir,

CASTLEBAR Town Council paid a significant honour to Islandeady sports star and European senior gold medal winner, Ray Moylett, of St Ann’s Boxing Club Westport, at Lough Lannagh Village, when Ray was accorded a civic reception by The Mayor of Castlebar, Councillor Eugene McCormack.

As a fellow Islandeady native, Mayor McCormack said Castlebar recognised the tremendous honour Ray brought to the county and to his sport of amateur boxing.

The Mayor and the Town Council have by their support recognised the standing of Irish amateur boxing, Ireland’s leading Olympic sport, a recognition that is missed by the national press and the state broadcasting media RTÉ.

Peter Mullen, former Irish champion and international boxer, now coach and mentor at St. Ann’s club, referred in his speech to the achievement of Ray’s parish of Islandeady, as the lynchpin between the progressive towns of Westport and Castlebar, providing The European champion, The Town Mayor and The Taoiseach of Ireland.

In the history of the Olympics Games, 23 Olympic medals were won by Irish athletics, 12 of those Olympic medals have been won by Irish boxers and of those Olympic medal holders only one, Paddy Barns, Beijing Olympic bronze medal winner, has won an European Gold, like Ray Moylett.

In the 100 years history of Irish amateur boxing, the six European gold medals were won for Ireland before this year’s double gold wins of Ray Moylett and Joe Ward, of Athy, were won for Dublin and Belfast boxing clubs.

This year’s Irish wins of two of the 10 European gold medals contested in the 2011 European Championships, by the top 57 European Boxing nations shows the strength of this leading Irish Olympic sport, a 32 county Irish sport.

This double European gold medal win for Ireland was only achieved once before in 1939, by the great Dublin boxers Jimmy Ingle and Paddy Dowdall, when the European Championships were held in Dublin for the official opening of the National Boxing Stadium on St. Circular Road.

Ray Moylett set the pace in Turkey for Ireland to celebrate the centenary year of Irish amateur boxing.

Sincerely yours,

Sean Horkan,

Turlough,

Castlebar.

Comments (1)

In praise of community spirit

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 14:50

0 Comments

Sir,

I TRAVELLED from Dublin for the privilege of attending the funeral of Mr. Michael 'Minister' Waldron in Ballyhaunis.

I did so to honour the person who had died and his family. But another very important reason for me was the opportunity to witness whether the sense of community was alive and well in my hometown.

As someone who has lived in Dublin for over 40 years, I realise that community here is a most nebulous affair, if it exists at all.

My journey home was well rewarded as the cultural community that I once belonged to, Irish, Catholic, GAA, Nationalist, town and country turned out in force.

I, and others like me - a large contingent came from Coventry - was afforded an opportunity to dip into our past and its vibrant cultural presence.

Fr. Stephen Farragher, P.P., and John Prenty of the Connaught Council both spoke eloquently on behalf of everyone.

One of them ended by truly saying: 'Ni bheidh a leitheid aris ann'.

Sincerely yours,

Anthony J. Jordan,

52 Gilford Road,

Dublin 4.

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Our national flag and the Beo go Deo article

Monday, 20 June 2011 13:39

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Sir,

CONGRATULATIONS to Mairtín O'Máicin on his recent Beo go Deo article highlighting the lack of respect that is shown to our national flag and the way in which it is abused.

Today's cable car dream may be tomorrow's reality

Tuesday, 03 May 2011 11:32

2 Comments

Sir,

While the headline of your editorial on my letter proposing a cable car for the Reek sounds like a negative reaction, the totality of the article is very positive and complimentary to the idea. The 'dream' label often creates images of Santa wishing but I can accept this particular categorisation if it achieves right results.

( 3 Votes )

Women still live in the dark ages

Tuesday, 26 April 2011 13:09

1 Comments

Sir,

I wish to express my outrage at the political parties in Leinster House, especially the women who by their silence have shown us they are willing to live and work in a male dominated society as long as it pays them well for betraying their sisters.