Cash boost for Gleann ABC

07 October 2009 – By Steve Wellings

Gleann ABC in West Belfast has received a welcome cash boost from a familiar source. Supermarket chain ASDA presented the club, based in Work Wests industrial estate, with a cheque for 10,000.

“This donation will help pay for the upkeep of our club and provide vital new equipment for the youngsters,” enthused club secretary Desi Hill.

“We dont look for handouts but like every boxing club we need to survive and the lads will pack shopping bags in ASDA for six or seven hours at a time.”

Gleann are still in the middle of an ownership dispute which threatens to find its way into the courtroom, but Desi insists the cash injection will not be used to manage enforced debts.

“Work West have been great with us and we will remain here in Hannahstown Hill, but the cash will be used to buy new tracksuits and fund trips to Dublin. We involve everybody at Gleann in our events and dont just take one kid down to Dublin, we take them all.”

Head coach Gerard McManus, a former boxer himself with Immaculata, agreed that the windfall came at a vital time.

“There are some great boxers coming through here and with the right coaching and new equipment we are definitely moving forward.”