Welcome To Derrylin Boxing Club

Message from Sean Crowley - Derrylin Boxing Club Founder & Coach:

“As you’re probably aware I’m not from the area. I was born in London to Irish parents and spent the majority of my life growing up there. I twice spent part of my childhood living in Ireland. I started my boxing career in London where I reached Open Class status and boxed against the elite from England as well as internationally for London.

My amateur career was capped by winning a senior SW London divisional title, but my major claim to fame is having shared the ring with four professional boxing champions including competitive wins over former British/European & World No 1 contender Howard Eastman and WBF champion Allan Gray plus numerous rounds of sparring with club mate Richard Williams (Former IBO & WBF World Light-Middleweight and Commonwealth Champion) and with a few painful rounds with Jason Matthews (former WBO World Middleweight Champion).

I moved to Cavan in 2002 and still live there with my wife & 4 children. After an 8-year absence from the sport I returned in 2004 to coach at the highly successful Cavan Boxing Club, where working alongside the highly respected coach Brian Mckeown. I have been involved in developing novice boxers to training champion boxers at all levels inc National Schoolboy/Youth/Senior champions and the 2008 Olympian boxer John Joe Nevin.  I also obtained my IABA coaching qualification in this period.

I opened Derrylin Boxing Club in July 2008 to consolidate what I have learned as a coach and move on to my next challenge. The reasons for this are simply, to further develop the sport of boxing (which is my passion), but also primarily to provide the local community with an exciting new facility that gives the youngsters/youths/adults (both male & female) in the community an affordable outlet for physical recreation and an opportunity to participate in the sport.

The aim Derrylin Boxing Club is to provide all members of the community regardless of Race / Nationality / Religious or Ethnic background the opportunity to participate in the sport of boxing or physical training in an inclusive, positive-social, caring and mentoring environment.

The primary aim of Derrylin Boxing Club is to produce competitive boxers (and hopefully some champions) but keep-fit enthusiasts are also welcome.

The club is operated on a voluntary basis; my wife Sarah is the Child Protect Officer , Aidan Kelly as Assistant Coach and is supported by volunteers Paul Allen, Donacha O'Cathain, Tony Malanaphy and Stephen McGuinn as committee members.

To ensure the club’s success and longevity more volunteers are welcome and much needed.  Therefore if you have (or know of someone) with an interest in boxing or a social interest in sport administration please contact me as the club requires a competition secretary/ treasurer/assistant coaches, amongst other positions. (NB. All volunteers are subject to vetting by AccessNI)

The club is not run for profit, membership and subscriptions are merely to cover the operating costs (rent & utilities and affiliation/insurance), any funds available at the end of year will either be ploughed back into the club to replace/replenish equipment, utilised to develop boxers or donated to other community projects in the area or given to charity.

(NB. http://www.barnardos.org.uk/northernireland.htm will be the club’s nominated charity).

I very much hope that you enjoy training with me; you’ll be expected to follow a proven program, successfully used by many champions and the country’s elite.  And I hope that in the very near future Derrylin Boxing Club will be celebrating its first National Boxing Champion and hopefully more will follow.”

Yours in sport & boxing

Sean Crowley

“In boxing you not only risk your health and injury but you publicly test your resolve and character; therefore always train and prepare the best you can and give everything in the ring” - Sean Crowley 2008