The Hyde Centre has not seen an event like this in over 20 years! Over 300 people attended last Saturday night’s White Collar Boxing event hosted by Roscommon Gaels GAA Club as a fundraising venture – and it did not disappoint.
The atmosphere was electric, with eighteen boxers present – nine fights and a novelty sumo wrestling match being the programme for the evening.
The club’s organising committee, along with Cathal O’Grady (White Collar Boxing Ireland) and his associate Dave Conlon and the eighteen fighters, had worked hard – both locally and in venues in Dublin and Galway – over the previous eight weeks, organising, training and fundraising, with all roads leading to last Saturday night, when every fighter displayed great courage to get into the ring with their opponent.
Pictured at the Roscommon Gaels White Collar Boxing Event at Dr Hyde Park on Saturday night were contestants Senan Lambe and Ciaran Purcell. Photo: Michelle Hughes Walsh
The match-ups for the evening, which the fighters had no knowledge of until 48 hours previously, were as follows: Dara Hughes v Gustavo Rodrigues, Kilbride visitor Brian Merriman v St Dominic’s guest Daire Keenan, Daire Gilleran v Michael Farrell, Peter Gillooly v Orin Walsh, and a second Kilbride visitor Brian Tully v Cathal Dineen. The ladies were represented with Emily Comiskey taking on another volunteer visitor, Tulsk native, Hazel Maguire. During the interval, we had a novelty contest which brought great entertainment to the crowd, with Tommy Mulry taking on Francie Hoare. The second part of the evening went as follows: Senan Lambe v Ciaran Purcell, Daniel O’Doherty v James Fetherstone, with the final match-up being John McManus v Mark Purcell. Well done to all the competitors involved.
At the interval, Club Chairperson Philip Mullen and Cathal Mahon from the organising committee addressed the audience, thanking everyone for their support, and acknowledging and thanking the main sponsor Sean Doyle Windows (Roscommon), and all the local businesses who contributed towards the event.
