Liam Neeson and Michael Collins went toe-to-toe in TF

THE boxing international between Ireland and India, which will be staged at the TF Royal Hotel and Theatre this Saturday night (May 26), sent boxing legend Seán Horkan rummaging through the archives and he came up with some interesting stuff concerning film star Liam Neeson, who is a native of Ballymena and was part of a boxing team from the town that visited Castlebar where, quite ironcially, he came up against an opponent by the name of Michael Collins.

“It was an ironic twist that Neeson, who starred in the film Michael Collins, should meet his namesake that night in the TF,” said Seán.

The event took place in 1968 as part of a Twintown Inter Club tournament. The Castlebar Chamber of Commerce and Ballymena had started a twin-town arrangement between their communities and their respective boxing clubs were very much involved.

All Saints Club in Ballymena were invited to Castlebar and the Castlebar club made return visits to Ballymena.

The star of Schindler’s List, and many other films, endeared himself to Irish audiences with his performance as Michael Collins in the film of the same name.

Neeson met another Michael Collins of the Castlebar team in their youth heavyweight contest and they met again in the semi-final of the National Youth Championships, with Neeson getting the decision on both occasions and going on to win an Irish national title.

Neeson joined the Ballymena club at the age of nine and went on to win an Ulster senior amateur title. He was brought up a Catholic living in a predominantly Protestant area but he never became politically involved until the time of the Troubles when he spoke publicly about friends from both sides of the divide who were killed.

The press report of the Castlebar contest penned by Connaught Telegraph scribe Johnny Mee was as follows.

“Liam Neeson, Ballymena, hammered out a good win over swarthy Michael Collins. There wasn’t a lot in it but Neeson was perhaps the more aggressive and was also able to box on the retreat.

“Collins tried all he knew to bring home his sledgehammer right but he couldn’t penetrate Neeson’s defence set-up.”

There was another Collins on the bill, Michael’s brother and RTÉ Ringside champion John Collins, who KO’d G. Dempster from Ballymena in their light middlewight bout.

Of an other Mayo team member, Joe Charles (also still serving in boxing administration), Mee described the fight in his own inimitable and colourfulstyle (way ahead of your time Johnny): “Joe Charles started slowly in this fight, and when he did attack he found O’Regan an elusive target. O’Regan softened Charles with good rights but the chunky Claremorris man kept moving forward in the last round and won a points decision, but there wasn’t much in it.''

The top of the bill contest was Peter Mullen, St. Anne’s, Westport v Sam Corbett, St. Gabriel’s, Belfast, so reporter Mee wrote in a very fine piece for The Connaught Telegraph.

“Nineteen-year-old Peter Mullen from Sheroe, Westport, met one of the best of the visiting scrappers in Belfast’s Sam Corbett, but Mullen wasn’t a bit overawed by his opponent's reputation.

“This lanky Westport lad wasn’t a bit afraid to mix it and he landed some very heavy punches at close quarters. Corbett countered well but he found it hard to stop Mullen, who chased him all the time.

“This was Mullen’s best win to-date and reflects much credit on the trainer of the recently formed Westport club, John McGreal.”

Other ring men to feature on the night were Peadear Kilcourse, Castlebar, Brendan Heneghan, Westport, Sean Hopkins, Castlebar, Sean Walsh, Ardnaree, Chas Guthrie, Castlebar, John Jordon, Claremorris, Stephen Melia, Ardnaree, C. Gibbons, Castlebar, and Wille Hopkins, Westport. The Ballymena team also featured T. McEvoy, T. O’Neill, M. Dempster, T. Loughran, E. Copeland, Belfast, T. Hammond, Belfast, H. McKeown, Belfast, M. Mc Maguire, Belfast, and M. O’Regan, Belfast.

Of the tournament, Mee wrote: “This is the first visit by a Ballymena boxing team to twin town Castlebar. Let’s hope it won’t be the last. For the northern and Castlebar selection provided some of the most entertaining boxing seen in the Mayo capital for many years.”

In the end, the Castlebar selection beat Ballymena’s selection by 7-6 and with four supporting bouts ensured a great night of amateur boxing.