Probe over missing €28k at boxing club

GARDAÍ are carrying out an investigation into alleged financial irregularities at a Co Cork boxing club.

Club officials believe up to €28,000 may have gone missing from the funds of the Fermoy club.

The club’s coffers had been reported as boosted by public donations, in a wave of sympathy which followed the murder, more than two years ago, of the club’s former chairman, John Mahon. A senior garda confirmed yesterday that an investigation was under way.

It is understood the probe was initiated nearly a month ago when club officials made a formal complaint to local gardaí. The club’s secretary John Bowes said that the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) had also been informed of the allegations.

Club officers believe that most of the money has gone missing from accounts held at financial institutions in the town, which included two accounts at the local credit union office and a further account at the local branch of the National Irish Bank.

Mr Bowes said that half the money in these accounts had come from grants, while the other half was made up of sponsorship payments. He added that a lot of people had also donated cash to the club following the murder of its former chairman John Mahon, who was “a highly respected” member of the local community.

Mr Bowes said that club officers welcomed the investigation and were offering detectives their full support.

Mr Mahon known as “Mr Boxing”, was gunned down near his home at St Bernard’s Place, Fermoy, during the early hours of February 12, 2006. He was aged 60 at the time.

Mr Mahon was a father-of-five self-employed decorator and was president of the IABA Munster branch.

He was also an international boxing referee who was a central figure in the establishment of the Fermoy Boxing Club in 1981.

He counted the legendary Muhammad Ali as a friend and a picture of the them together was placed on Mr Mahon’s coffin at his requiem mass.

Mr Mahon had been in the Defence Forces and served with the 41st Battalion in Cyprus. His killer John Collins had also served in the same battalion at the same time.

Collins, who suffered from serious alcoholic problems and who was also living in Fermoy, was jailed for life last March for the murder. The Central Criminal Court had rejected his defence of diminished responsibility.