THE BOXING WORLD PAYS ITS TRIBUTE TO OMAGH
The boxing world pays its tribute to Omagh
BY: ADRIAN MULLAN
Omagh Boys and Girls Club stage a 'Night of Champions'
PERHAPS THE last place a person might expect sensitivity and compassion is in a world where in, the cauliflower ear and the broken nose are commonplace. A world renowned for its toughness and pugnacity, rather than its caring and humanity the world of boxing.
However, last Wednesday night, in Omagh Leisure Centre, the world of boxing shrugged off its tough image when many of its former kings, emperors and legends came to pay tribute to the victims of the Omagh bomb.
As six former world champions and countless European and British champions and world contenders turned out in Omagh to honour the dead and support the injured of the Market Street blast, it was easy to feel that this was boxing's finest hour.
Nevertheless, it was not an easy night for champs, for as they met with the survivors, the injured and the bereaved and heard the tales of heroism and triumph, several were deeply moved.
There was a hero's welcome for ex-champions Barry McGuigan, Frank Bruno, Steve Dave Boy McCauley, Damien Denny, Steve Collins, Sam Storey, Darren Corbett, Glen McCrory and others in the crop of contemporary or near contemporary celebrities.
However, fight fans in 'the know', sought out the legends of an era past, Spider Kelly, Johnny Caldwell, and Freddie Gilroy. Derry man, Charlie
Nash, the former European and British lightweight champion, got a rousing reception and exchanged good natured banter with fight fans.
There was a flurry of autograph signing early in the evening as the stars began to arrive. Nevertheless, there was a quiet audience between victims and boxing stars before the tournament got underway. In the hall, the crowd observed one minute's silence for all of those who had suffered and lost as a result of the events on August 15th.
Local singer, Jerome Kennedy, then gave a beautiful and unaccompanied rendition of 'The Derry Air' to the approval of the entire
auditorium. So powerful and emotional was the moment, that many of those at ringside were moved to tears.
As the various champs entered the arena as guests of honour, there was rapturous applause from an audience estimated to be in excess of 1,000 people.
The survivors, and the bereaved shared the inner circle of ringside seats with the stars, and as the tournament got underway, young fans mobbing Bruno, McGuigan, and Collins, had to be escorted to their seats by the ushers.
Halfway through the tournament proceedings were temporarily halted and a group of young line dancers from Strabane entertained the audience
This was followed by an auction of memorabilia and the various boxing stars took to the ring to promote the sale of this or that item.
Big Frank was the star of the show when he called on his skills from the London pantomime to force up the bids. He engaged with the crowd and hammed it up with various members of the audience.
The tournament itself produced some fine boxing, but with so many professionals and champions past and present at ringside, the younger boxers could have been forgiven for being a little over-awed, however, under the glare of the world's media the young and not so young amateurs acquitted themselves honourably.
Speaking after the event, Omagh Boys and Girls Club leader, Paddy McMahon said he couldn't help but think that all of the work and preparation by the staff and the boxing team was worthwhile. "When I saw the way in which spirits of so many people, especially young people, were so lifted by the appearance of the boxing stars I knew it was worthwhile.
"The boxing stars had time for everyone and did not receive so much as a penny for their appearance. I shall never forget the quality of the tournament, so masterfully put together by club coach, Davy Simmonds. The whole occasion was a joy to experience."
It is thought that the evening raised in excess of �5,000 for the Omagh Fund.
Speaking at the event, the McCombe brothers, Clive and Colin, who lost their mother in the bomb spoke of the kindness of people and whilst they said they had as many bad days as good they also acknowledged that it helped to know that people cared. Both men and their father, Stanley are big boxing fans.
BY: ADRIAN MULLAN
Omagh Boys and Girls Club stage a 'Night of Champions'
PERHAPS THE last place a person might expect sensitivity and compassion is in a world where in, the cauliflower ear and the broken nose are commonplace. A world renowned for its toughness and pugnacity, rather than its caring and humanity the world of boxing.
However, last Wednesday night, in Omagh Leisure Centre, the world of boxing shrugged off its tough image when many of its former kings, emperors and legends came to pay tribute to the victims of the Omagh bomb.
As six former world champions and countless European and British champions and world contenders turned out in Omagh to honour the dead and support the injured of the Market Street blast, it was easy to feel that this was boxing's finest hour.
Nevertheless, it was not an easy night for champs, for as they met with the survivors, the injured and the bereaved and heard the tales of heroism and triumph, several were deeply moved.
There was a hero's welcome for ex-champions Barry McGuigan, Frank Bruno, Steve Dave Boy McCauley, Damien Denny, Steve Collins, Sam Storey, Darren Corbett, Glen McCrory and others in the crop of contemporary or near contemporary celebrities.
However, fight fans in 'the know', sought out the legends of an era past, Spider Kelly, Johnny Caldwell, and Freddie Gilroy. Derry man, Charlie
Nash, the former European and British lightweight champion, got a rousing reception and exchanged good natured banter with fight fans.
There was a flurry of autograph signing early in the evening as the stars began to arrive. Nevertheless, there was a quiet audience between victims and boxing stars before the tournament got underway. In the hall, the crowd observed one minute's silence for all of those who had suffered and lost as a result of the events on August 15th.
Local singer, Jerome Kennedy, then gave a beautiful and unaccompanied rendition of 'The Derry Air' to the approval of the entire
auditorium. So powerful and emotional was the moment, that many of those at ringside were moved to tears.
As the various champs entered the arena as guests of honour, there was rapturous applause from an audience estimated to be in excess of 1,000 people.
The survivors, and the bereaved shared the inner circle of ringside seats with the stars, and as the tournament got underway, young fans mobbing Bruno, McGuigan, and Collins, had to be escorted to their seats by the ushers.
Halfway through the tournament proceedings were temporarily halted and a group of young line dancers from Strabane entertained the audience
This was followed by an auction of memorabilia and the various boxing stars took to the ring to promote the sale of this or that item.
Big Frank was the star of the show when he called on his skills from the London pantomime to force up the bids. He engaged with the crowd and hammed it up with various members of the audience.
The tournament itself produced some fine boxing, but with so many professionals and champions past and present at ringside, the younger boxers could have been forgiven for being a little over-awed, however, under the glare of the world's media the young and not so young amateurs acquitted themselves honourably.
Speaking after the event, Omagh Boys and Girls Club leader, Paddy McMahon said he couldn't help but think that all of the work and preparation by the staff and the boxing team was worthwhile. "When I saw the way in which spirits of so many people, especially young people, were so lifted by the appearance of the boxing stars I knew it was worthwhile.
"The boxing stars had time for everyone and did not receive so much as a penny for their appearance. I shall never forget the quality of the tournament, so masterfully put together by club coach, Davy Simmonds. The whole occasion was a joy to experience."
It is thought that the evening raised in excess of �5,000 for the Omagh Fund.
Speaking at the event, the McCombe brothers, Clive and Colin, who lost their mother in the bomb spoke of the kindness of people and whilst they said they had as many bad days as good they also acknowledged that it helped to know that people cared. Both men and their father, Stanley are big boxing fans.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0685
Published Date: 26-Nov-98
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