Dublin People - Boxing club facing Knockout blow

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Boxing club facing Knockout blow

Wednesday, 09 April 2008

A NORTH county Dublin boxing club said any attempt to remove it from its training premises would kill the sport in the area.
Fingal County Council has served Swords Boxing Club with notice that it has to vacate its training hall at Carnegie Library, North Street, Swords,
The club, one of the biggest boxing clubs in Dublin, recently received a letter from the council informing it that its members should prepare to leave the historic building by June 1, as it is due an extensive renovation.
A spokeswoman for the council said the club had been notified of this up to a year ago and that it had been encouraged to find alternative accommodation since then.

However, Joe O’Neill, president of Swords Boxing Club, said that while the club had an inkling it would be forced out of the library building, it was only officially notified of this on March 20.
Mr O’Neill told Northside People that the club has no funds to acquire a new training hall and is pleading with the council to provide them with alternative premises in Swords.
“The club caters for up to 100 boxers aged from nine to 18, and has been of great benefit to the north county Dublin area,” he said.
Mr O’Neill called on the council to help the club find new premises in the community.
“Moving the club out of the Carnegie Library will kill boxing in Swords,” Mr O’Neill declared.
Swords ward councillor Clare Daly (SP) has rowed in behind the club. She said any attempt to move Swords Boxing Club from Carnegie Library without alternative accommodation would be strenuously opposed.
“Being conscious of all the excellent community and sporting organisations in the area, the work of Swords Boxing Club is the most important,” Cllr Daly stated.
“They provide excellent training, self-discipline, self-achievement, encouragement and exercise for over one hundred young men who otherwise would have no involvement in sport.
“The club will die if they are forced to leave their present premises without an alternative and there is no way I am going to stand by and allow that to happen.”
However, Fingal County Council insists that Swords Boxing Club’s use of Carnegie Library was only ever meant to be a temporary arrangement.
“It was never intended to provide a permanent location for Swords Boxing Club at the Carnegie Library, as the building is totally unsuitable for use by a sports club,” a spokeswoman for the council told Northside People.
She said this was made clear to the club as soon as they started using the building.
“In the interest of the preservation of this important historical building, the boxing club has now been formally asked to vacate the premises to allow the council to carry out renovations,” the spokeswoman added.
“The club was notified of the council’s intention to carry out the renovations at least a year ago and were encouraged to find alternative accommodation in the intervening time.”
Dublin North Senator Brendan Ryan (Lab) has called on the Fingal County Manager to identify a suitable alternative location in Swords for the club.
“I have appealed to Fingal County Council, who have an exceptional record in respect of sports development in Fingal, to continue to work with Swords Boxing Club to ensure that their needs can be provided for,” said Senator Ryan.
“The last thing that we want is for a viable club to go out of existence.
“Everyone must work together to find a satisfactory solution.”
Meanwhile, Mr O’Neill said the club would be more than willing to sit down with the council and discuss the possibility of alternative accommodation.

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