Craigmore Amateur Boxing Club in Newry is on the move – not through choice, but necessity.
Head coach Simon Bannister has described the emotional impact of a phone call informing him the club would have to vacate its current premises at Abbey Yard, which is being demolished by a property developer.
The club was founded after Simon’s son was injured by a drunk driver, a life‑changing event that prompted a shift from football coaching to boxing and community outreach. Over the past seven years, Craigmore ABC – which began life in Bessbrook – has grown into a vital hub for young people.
Now, after three and a half years of hard work transforming this space in Newry, the club has been given just two weeks to move out, a timescale Simon says is nowhere near enough considering the time, effort, and investment poured into the facility.
Despite the upheaval, Craigmore Amateur Boxing Club will continue. The club is relocating to Ashtree Business Park, where it will carry on its mission of helping kids in the community, offering them discipline, support, and a positive path forward.
