Limerick and Ireland’s oldest boxing club, which honed the skills of former world champion Andy Lee, has received a massive boost with the purchase of an adjacent premises by Limerick City and County Council, with the support of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
The Regeneration programme’s focus on supporting community based activities has come to the fore yet again after it was the successful bidder for the building adjacent to the Saint Frances Boxing Club on Old Saint Frances Street, Watergate to help the club deal with capacity issues.
The Regeneration programme will now make the facility available to the club that caters for young boxers from across the city, from Moyross to Southill, and which has long since reached capacity at 40 members, with up to 30 more seeking access to the club.
This acquisition falls in line with the strategic objectives of Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan (LRFIP) - Delivering Safe and Sustainable Communities published in 2013 and which seeks to deliver a project impacting on all the regeneration areas in Limerick.
Said Limerick Regeneration Office Programme Manager Carmel Kirby, “We are delighted to have been the successful bidder. The Regeneration Programme has a strong focus on projects that deliver major social dividends and this is a perfect example.”
Saint Frances boxing club was established in 1928 and is the longest running boxing club in Ireland. Its membership is capped at 40 members due to the size of the current premises but it is understood that membership could almost double within two weeks if the club were to be extended into the adjoining premises that recently went up for.
“This amateur boxing club has a proud reputation, catering for boys and girls, men and women ages nine to 40,” said Ms Kirby. “It draws membership from some of the city’s most disadvantaged areas.
“Andy Lee had his gloves laced here and others who have trained at the club include Olympic medallists Katie Taylor and Paddy Barnes. This vital extension will enable it to increase its membership, which in turn will have a major benefit for areas in the Regeneration programme.”
The club has a strong ethos of respect and 98% of reports back from schools and parents report a huge difference in the concentration levels and discipline of the members. The importance of education and work ethic is driven home to the club members by its coaches.