Royston Boxing Club still going strong after all these years

Boxing is Ireland’s most successful Olympic Sport, and here in Kildare Royston Boxing Club is one of the most successful and enduring clubs in the county. Operating at the Royston Sports and Social Club in Newbridge the club was formed as Irish Ropes BC in 1965 with Larry Hannon and Michael Kett acting as Chairman and Secretary respectively, and former Army Champion, Mickey Gray as its first trainer. Although the club went out of existence at the end of the 1968 season it was reformed again in 1970 by Joe Cox and Michael Kett with John Murphy, John Colleton, Jackie Byrne, Timmy Lynch Jim Keogh, Christy Kirwan and Nick Mullally as Committee members.

Royston BC became a strong force in Irish Boxing in the late 70’s and continued that success into the 80’s, winning no less than 19 Kildare County Championships in 1981. The club is one of the most successful clubs in Ireland, winning the National Club of the Year Award six times in a seven-year period between 2008 and 2014. Royston BC has just resumed training for the 2025/26 season and it caters for boxers from underage to adult. 

"Our main training nights are Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Head Coach, Tom McDermott, says. 

“But we also train on Sundays and any other times that we can get a break as this place is busy all the time. We cater for ages eight to ten years of age from 6pm to 7pm. The eleven-years-plus boxers are catered for from 7.15pm to 9pm because from eleven years up you are eligible to box in Championship. We don’t distinguish between an 11-year-old and a senior elite boxer. They all train the same,” he added.

"We have a lot of kids that train here but don’t box," Coach Chris Phelan, a former National Champions says. 

“We would have 25/30 Boxing Card holders but when you take account of everyone involved in the club you could add another 25/30 on to that so we could have up to 60 members."

“We are not turning away anyone,” Tom McDermott adds. “Sometimes the people who come in here train harder than the boxers.” 

There are ten coaches at Royston BC. “There is a pathway for our coaches,” Chris Phelan adds. 

“Between last season and this we would have had up to eight of our coaches complete the Fundamental Course. They will then do six months before they undertake the full boxing course that Sport Ireland brought in during the summer.” 

Although they haven’t won a National title since 2017, Royston claimed two Leinster Championships last year and one in 2025. “We are in a rebuilding phase,” Phelan continued. 

“At the moment we have a young crew but they are a right good crew and within the next couple of years we will have some of those coming through.” 

While the catchment area for the club is mainly Newbridge there are also boxers from Rathvilly, Clane and Mullingar. Funding comes through membership and subscriptions as well as local doners and sponsors. “Our main funding comes from the door,” McDermott tells us. 

“We charge €3 per night for 11 years up and €2 for underage and our membership is then €25 for the season. Out of that membership fee we make a contribution to the Social Club. Ryan O’Driscoll and Brian Carroll are great fundraisers for us.” 

Royston BC have a busy schedule of competitions for its boxers over the next few months including in Wexford, Athy and the Michael Andrews Competition as well as the Kildare Leagues and the Leinster Championships which will be held in Athy. “We all love champions and Irish champions but the more people we take in off the street coming in with a smile and going out with a smile the better. When we train, we train but we still have the craic to keep them interested. It’s a mixture of a community club and a boxing club,” concludes Chris Phelan, who’s own daughter, Amber is one of the boxers at the club.

“We are never going to turn away a boy or girl who just wants to come up to train,” Tom McDermott said.