Emotional night at The Hub in Castlerea as O’Rourke sisters take to the ring

Some of the most familiar names in Irish amateur boxing were in Castlerea on Friday evening for a prestigious international tournament against Ukraine.

There were 14 bouts in The Hub, which was the culmination of a five-day dual nation training camp hosted by Castlerea Boxing Club.

The impressive line-up featured some of the biggest names in Irish boxing, including local stars, Aoife and Lisa O’Rourke, alongside Olympic-bound Kellie Harrington — who won a gold medal at the Toyko Olympics — Michaela Walsh, Dean Clancy and Jack Marley. (click on the video below and watch the irish team enter the ring)

There was great excitement among the local crowd when boxers Aoife and Lisa O’Rourke both won their fights with a 5-0 decision from the judges.

It was the first such international to take place in Ireland in some years.

The camp was hugely successful, and Paddy Sharkey and everyone at Castlerea Boxing Club has been widely praised for its professionalism in hosting the camp, which included additional key elements, among them a High Performance Coaching Seminar at the club on Monday.

On Wednesday, High Performance boxers, including former world champion Lisa O’Rourke, Dean Clancy (who has qualified for Paris), and Dean Walsh, coached a training session with HP coaches, for Castlerea Boxing Club’s junior squad.

Roscommon County Council also hosted a civic reception for the team, which was described as a “great honour for boxers and coaches, and a wonderful show of support by the people of Roscommon for Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport.” 

* Click on the link below to watch the Irish team enter the ring in Castlerea.

• See full story and pictures in Tuesday’s Roscommon Herald