The trophy room in Drogheda Museum at Milllmount has lots of memorabilia celebrating the sporting successes of local sportspeople down the years.
Socks Byrne, Joey Maher, Gary Kelly are all there along with many more, mostly male, sports stars but one glaring omission was that there was nothing about former World Champion Women’s Boxer Deirdre Gogarty.
On Saturday that situation was finally put to rights when Deirdre’s sister Adrienne presented the museum with the boxing kit that Deirdre wore on her first world title attempt against Stacey Prestage on the 23rd of November 1993 which was the first time a Women’s World title was ever contested for. Deirdre lost the bout but her determination was strengthened by the experience.
Deirdre is one of Drogheda’s greatest ever sports stars, she blazed a trail for women’s boxing back in the late eighties and early nineties when it was illegal in Ireland and many other countries for a women to enter a boxing ring.
Deirdre had to break the law to follow her passion for the sport but, like the true fighter she is, she stuck to her guns and went on to become world featherweight champion in 1997 when she beat Bonnie Canino in Florida.
Deirdre Gogarty’s sister Adrienne presents the world champion’s kit to Fiachra MacRaighnaill of Millmount Museum.
Since then many young Irish women, and others from around the world, have followed Deirdre’s lead and enjoyed the sport either at amateur or professional level. Katie Taylor, who is a staunch fan, used to write to Deirdre seeking advice as she embarked on her own illustrious career.
Deirdre’s dedication to boxing was recognised in 2015, when she was admitted to the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame but many people in Drogheda thought that she deserved more recognition in her home town.
To this end a campaign was begun a year ago to raise funds to erect a statue in her honour and on Saturday a miniature version of the proposed statue, sculpted by Laury Dizemgremel, was unveiled.
Deirdre, who was in Drogheda in May, has never forgotten her Irish and Drogheda roots and always insisted on having “Deirdre Gogarty, Ireland” embroidered on her competition kit and was very moved when she heard about the statue campaign.
At the presentation of Deirdre Gogarty’s boxing strip to Millmount Museum are (from left): Chairman of the Old Drogheda Society Shane Heeney, Fiachra MacRaighnaill, Cllr. Paddy McQuillan, Adrienne Gogarty, Donnachada MacRaighnaill, Des Grant and Community Gardaí Eric Scurry and Martin Mellsop.
Deirdre was not at Saturday’s handover of the kit to Drogheda museum but her sister Adrienne presented the kit on her behalf and read out a short statement from her:
“The outfit I am donating to the Millmount Museum is very important to me because it has been part of many “firsts” in the history of women’s boxing. In 1993, I wore it for the first time in London, and for many of my early US fights, including the first ever WIBF world lightweight title match.
“The company Title, originally custom-made the outfit. I provided them with a pattern because, at the time, women’s boxing singlets were unavailable. Years later, I met someone who was wearing Grant boxing gear. “Do you like Grant?” I asked him. “Like Grant?” he replied, “I AM Grant!”
“We struck up a friendship, and in 1997, Grant used his logo on the outfit especially for my appearance on the highly-rated US television show “Regis & Kathie Lee”. I am delighted that this piece of my career history will be on display in Drogheda, back home, where it rightfully belongs!”
