Amateur Boxing World Champion Michael Conlan (Matter of the Day)
Channel: Northern Ireland Assembly
Date: 20/10/2015

On Monday 19th October 2015 MLAs commended Michael Conlan after he became the first Irish male to win a senior World Amateur Boxing Championships title.

Ms McCorley: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Ba mhaith liom an spotsolas a tharraingt ar dhornálaí ó Iarthar Bhéal Feirste mar atá Michael Conlan a bhain Craobhchomórtais Dornálaíochta Amaitéaracha an Domhain. I wish to highlight the fantastic achievement of Michael Conlan, a young boxer from west Belfast. He became the first Irish male to win a senior World Amateur Boxing Championships title when he brought home the gold medal from Doha a few days ago. 

If we take a look at his career in boxing, it is clear to see that he is a very talented sportsman who has had a glittering career up to this point since, at the age of 11, he won his first Ulster novice title. In the 2012 Olympics, he took a bronze medal and, in August 2014, he won the bantamweight gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Earlier this year, he took gold at the European Championships and was named boxer of the tournament. As a result of his achievements this year, Michael has secured qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. What a fantastic list of conquests for a young man of 23 years of age. 

Tá clubanna dornálaíochta ar easpa maoinithe le fada an lá. It is worth mentioning that boxing has been underfunded here for years. Local clubs have been getting by using extremely poor facilities. Michael's club, St John Bosco, survived for years without heating, water or changing facilities. It is to the credit of the current sports Minister that boxing clubs have recently been able to avail themselves of funding to upgrade their facilities. It is great to see that young, upcoming boxers, for whom Michael Conlan is an excellent role model, can now train and develop in their sport in a much improved physical environment. In communities with high levels of deprivation such as west Belfast, boxing is not just a sport, it can be a lifesaver. It gives children a great interest from a very young age and increases their sense of self-worth. It also encourages a sense of discipline, a focus on healthy living and an enhancement of their physical and mental health. So there is much that is positive to be said about this story. 

I am sure that everyone in the Assembly would be happy to join me today in congratulating Michael Conlan on his great success. He is a proud former pupil of Corpus Christi College in west Belfast. We are very proud of him in west Belfast, and I am sure that everybody across the North would say the same. We are also proud of his teammates, and our message to them today is to go on and achieve even more greatness at the 2016 Olympics.

You can read the full transcript in the Official Report http://nia1.me/2sj