Boxing accounts for greater than half the medals Eire have received throughout 30 Olympic Video games.
Irish boxing boasts seventeen medal winners, ninthteen Olympic medals, and a manufacturing line of pugilistic brilliance that has firmly established this little island as a real international boxing heavyweight.
The story of Eire’s boxing medallists on the Video games was rewritten over the subsequent final two weeks as 10 Irish boxers mined for valuable metallic in Paris 2024.
John McNallySilver, males’s bantamweight, 1952, Helsinki
Many adopted in his wake, however John McNally will all the time be the primary. The Belfast bantamweight received Eire’s first-ever boxing medal on the Helsinki Video games in 1952.
The Immaculata BC fighter claimed silver over half a century in the past.
McNally was awarded a bye by way of the primary spherical earlier than he beat the Philipines, the Italian boxer and a South Korean boxer – all by unanimous choices – to advance to the ultimate, the place he was edged to gold in a 2-1 determination towards dwelling city fighter Pentti Hamalainen.
Fred TiedtSilver, males’s welterweight, 1956, Melbourne
4 years later and Fred Tiedt was including Eire’s medal tally. A fighter famend as considered one of Eire’s best amateurs claimed silver in Melbourne in 1956.
Tiedt, who some might keep in mind as a referee, had as robust a combat to get to Melbourne as he did to safe in the course of the Video games. He needed to defeat rival Harry Perry in a box-off to get on the airplane.
As soon as in Melbourne he hit peak kind and steamrolled to the gold medal combat, the place he misplaced to Nicholai Linca of Romania on a 3-2 cut up, a end result that has held it’s ‘controversial’ standing to today.
Tony ByrneBronze, males’s light-weight, 1956, Melbourne
Certainly one of Drogheda’s most well-known sons Socks Byrne additionally medaled in Melbourne. The captain of the Irish boxing workforce secured bronze within the light-weight division.
Byrne relied on donations from residents and native companies in Drogheda to fund his journey to Australia, the place he carried the Irish flag on the opening ceremony and duly led by instance within the ring, beating Czech and US boxers to achieve the light-weight semi-finals.
Within the combat to get into the decider, he suffered defeat to German Harry Kurschat.
John CaldwellBronze, males’s flyweight, 1956, Melbourne
One other remembered as considered one of Eire’s biggest, John Coldwell medalled on the similar Melbourne Video games. The Belfast ‘wee man’, who isn’t simply famed for his Olympic success, managed to safe flyweight bronze in Australia on the tender age of 18.
‘The Chilly Eye Murderer’s semi-final defeat is questioned to today. Caldwell, who would go on to share the skilled ring with Melbourne teammate Freddie Gilroy, turned the primary Irish Olympic medal winner to go on and win a world title.
Freddie GilroyBronze, males’s bantamweight, 1956, Melbourne
Caldwell’s pal and rival Gilroy helped make certain Melbourne was probably the most profitable boxing Olympic journey.
One other lengthy since revered expertise, the Belfast fighter began with a bang defeating Boris Stepanov of the Soviet Union by knockout.
He then defeated Italy’s bantamweight earlier than dropping to Germany’s Wolfgang Behrendt within the silver medal combat. As a professional Gilroy received Commonwealth and European titles.
Jim McCourtBronze, males’s light-weight, 1964, Tokyo
The final Video games to go to Tokyo produced an Irish medal winner within the type of Jim McCourt.
The European Championship and Commonwealth Video games medalist picked up Bronze in Japan in 1964.
Having navigated three challenges the Belfast southpaw, a seven-time Irish senior champion, misplaced by way of a 3-2 rating to Velikton Barannikov of the USSR.
Hugh RussellBronze, males’s flyweight, 1980, Moscow
After ready eight years for McCourt’s medal Eire had a 16-year medal Olympic boxing medal drought earlier than Hugh Russell got here alongside.
One other Belfast little man was subsequent so as to add his title to the distinguished record medalling in Moscow in 1980.
Wins over Iraqi, Tanzanian and Korean opponents secured him a semi-final spot in Moscow, the place he was overwhelmed by Bulgaria’s Petar Lesov, the eventual gold medallist.
Earlier than leaving Moscow, Russell spent the final of his roubles on a digicam, which he used to ignite a profession in images.
Michael CarruthGold, males’s welterweight, 1992, Barcelona
In 1992 Micheal Carruth went the place no Irish fighter had gone earlier than to the highest of the Olympic podium – and beat a Cuban to do it.
In actual fact the Driminagh BC legend turned Eire’s first gold medal winner since Ronnie Delany received gold within the 1500m in Melbourne 36 years earlier.
After disappointment in Seoul 4 years earlier Carruth discovered himself within the remaining towards Cuban star Juan Hernandez. The Dub received 13-10 by way of laptop scoring, registering a end result that despatched him hopping across the Barcelona ring and other people throughout Eire leaping round their residing rooms.
Wayne McCulloughSilver, males’s bantamweight, 1992, Barcelona
‘The Pocket Rocket’ didn’t fairly attain the moon in the identical Barcelona Video games however did come again with a valuable silver medal.
Like Carruth the Belfast bantamweight was a competitor in Seoul in 1988 and like Carruth he discovered himself towards a Cuban within the remaining in 1992.
Joel Casamayor defeated him within the gold medal combat, however an outstanding silver medal was simply reward after an impressive week within the ring. As knowledgeable McCullough’s expertise blossomed even additional: he held the WBC bantamweight title from 1995 to 1997 and challenged for world titles at super-bantamweight and featherweight.
Kenneth EganSilver, males’s mild heavyweight, 2008, Beijing
After one other 16-year medal drought for Irish boxing got here to an finish on the Beijing Olympics as three extraordinarily common fighters medaled.
Dublin darling and novice favorite Kenneth Egan claimed one of many three, successful silver on 2008.
The Neilstown BC fighter reached the sunshine heavyweight Olympic remaining the place he confronted native Xiaoping Zhang and misplaced 11-7 to gather a medal that was celebrated throughout Eire.
Darren SutherlandBronze, males’s middleweight, 2008, Beijing
The late, nice Darren Sutherland’s infectious smile was at it’s brightest in Beijing. The all-action middleweight coasted the semi-final the place he met outdated rival James DeGale of Staff GB.
‘Chunky’ managed to defeat the infectious character for the primary time and the one time in 5 fights to progress to the decider the place he received gold.
Sutherland got here dwelling with Bronze and a spot in Irish hearts.
Paddy BarnesBronze, males’s mild flyweight, 2008, BeijingBronze, males’s mild flyweight, 2012, London
The one Irish boxer in historical past to win two Olympic medals, Barnes’ place within the pantheon of Irish sport is already firmly secured.
The primary of the three time Olympians got here in Beijing. The European Championship gold medal winner was overwhelmed by Zou Shiming within the semi remaining of the ligh flyweight competitors. The Chinese language fighter managed to document the identical end result over the Belfast fighter, though this time solely by a 45-44 rely again rating, after an Olympic basic.
Katie TaylorGold, ladies’s light-weight, 2012, London
Katie Taylor obtained the Olympic medal her novice profession deserved in London 2012.
The Bray fighter was totally dominant heading into these London Video games, successful her fourth successive AIBA world title in China three months earlier than. In London, she solid a standing as Eire’s most admired sports activities star as she progressed to the gold medal conflict with Russia’s Sofia Ochigava.
Taylor received a tense combat 10-8 to etch her title among the many immortals.
John Joe NevinSilver, males’s bantamweight, 2012, London
John Joe Nevin was simply 18 when he made his Olympic debut on the 2008 Video games in Beijing, the place he bowed out within the final 16 to eventual champion Badar-Uugan Enkhbatyn of Mongolia. It was an expertise he would put to good use, maturing within the years that adopted into one of many world’s finest amateurs.
In London, he reached the Olympic remaining in London the place he misplaced to Staff GB star Luke Campbell by a rating of 14-11.
Michael ConlanBronze, males’s flyweight, 2012, London
Michael Conlan most well-known Olympic second might have are available Rio for all of the incorrect causes, however he does have some glad Olympic reminiscences.
Conlan received bronze on the Video games and began a course of that noticed him ascend towards Irish greatness.
The Belfast fighter beat Ghana’s Duke Micah and France’s Nordine Oubaali with ease to achieve the flyweight semi-final. He misplaced that bout to the eventual champion, Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba.
Aidan Walsh
Bronze, males’s welterweight, 2021, Tokyo
Within the first half of 2019 Aidan Walsh wasn’t even deemed #1 in Eire however by the Summer season of 2021 he was standing on an Olympic podium.
The Monkstown clubman certified for the Olympics on the identical day as his sister Michaela and didn’t journey to Japan because the fighter most backed to medal.
Nonetheless, he produced sensible performances and secured wins by way of a singular matador type to grow to be the Irish boxing breakout star of the Olympics. Sadly for the Belfast medalist, he was denied the possibility to combat for a spot within the remaining after struggling a freak harm whereas celebrating his quarter-final win.
Kellie Harrington
Gold, feminine light-weight, 2021, Tokyo
Gold, Feminine Light-weight, 2024, Paris
Kellie Harrington earned gold and a spot within the hearts of the nation in Tokyo. The Dubliner was sensible out and in of the ring in Japan, as she charmed the general public and adopted within the footsteps of Michael Carruth and Katie Taylor, securing a spot on the highest of the rostrum.
To say the gold the St Mary’s boxer needed to defeat a Worlds finalist within the semi-final and the reigning world champion within the decider.
Harrington turned the primary boxer to win two gold medals on the Video games as she climbed again to the highest of the desk in Paris.
The Dublin swap hitter defended her light-weight title-winning 4 fights and defeating the likes of reigning professional world champion Beatrice Ferreira and China’s Wenlu Yang en path to gold.
