Lack of facilities threaten the future of boxing clubs
By Lynda O'Donoghue Donnelly
“CHRONIC underfunding” and a “lack of facilities” in Lucan is threatening the future growth of local clubs, according to boxing coach Ed Griffin.
Four years after starting Esker Amateur Boxing Club and watching the number of members quadruple in that time Ed told The Echo that the future of the successful club is in doubt.
The club has had no permanent home over the last four years and has appealed to South Dublin County Council to find them somewhere to train and hold competitions.
Currently based in Goodwins Industrial Estate, the club has no electricity and relies on a generator for lighting when the boxers are training.
Senior Coach Ed said: “The membership stands at 80 and we can’t take anymore on. There is nothing in Lucan and no facilities for us. We are paying nearly €1,000 a month to train.
“Tallaght and Clondalkin are seen as disadvantaged areas and Lucan is seen to have more, but that is not the case. There is chronic underfunding in Lucan and nowhere for working-class sports.”
Esker Amateur Boxing Club has leased the industrial unit for over a year and, with its lease up in 2016, Ed fears for the future of the club.
He said: “We are out of there in May and I have been highlighting this for three years – we will have to close if we can’t get anywhere.
“That is 80 to 100 kids gone from the club. The Lucan councillors are all great and they are all with us but something has to be done. We have 20 shows a year in October we are bringing boxers to Chicago and all of that is in jeopardy if we can’t find a premise.”
The council has confirmed that it has provided support funding of €5,500 to Esker Boxing Club at its current location and has advised the club of grant programmes.
However, Ed told The Echo that grant programmes are more difficult to access without a permanent base for the club.
A spokesperson for the council said: “In more recent times the club has made representations to the council requesting it to provide premises. While the council has in the past provided grants to clubs and currently operates a substantial community support fund, we do not provide complete funding solutions to individual clubs.
“The council has communicated this to the club and advised it of its funding options, including council grant schemes, the National Sports Capital Programme adminis-tered by the Department of Sport and the National Irish Amateur Boxing Federation.”
