Kellie Harrington’s gold medal success in Tokyo has brought to light the plight of her former boxing club in Dublin.

Corinthians Boxing Club in Mountjoy is where the future Olympic lightweight gold medallist would get her start in boxing, however it is currently missing vital amenities, namely sufficient toilets for girls to use.

Currently the north Dublin club has only one set of toilets and showers, used predominantly by the boys of the club.

Since Harrington has beaten the best on the international stage, Corinthians is getting a lot more attention from girls in the area, and so are looking to ensure that they have the facilities that they require to make it a safe place for girls to train.

Speaking on Monday’s OTB AM, Stephen Molloy from the boxing club addressed the issue of the toilets.

“There is no doubt that we have enough coaches and volunteers; that has been fantastic over the years with Corinthians Boxing Club,” Molloy said.

“At the moment we have only one toilet in the club and it is mostly for boys, so over the next couple of weeks or months a couple of local TDs and senators should be trying to sort something out to get girls’ changing rooms and toilets.

“We have got about 10-15 girls in the club at the minute. Having them to queue up and for the coaches trying to coach the kids and having to clean the toilets every five or ten minutes after the boys so the girls can go in, it is not the right preparation for girls to come in.

“We have one particular girl who plays for Shelbourne FC, she is into boxing as well, and surely to God when she goes up to Shelbourne and there are all these brilliant facilities, and then she come to train in the evenings at the Corinthians and she has to queue up for the toilets, that is no way to go.

“Hopefully that doesn’t drive that young girl away from the club, because she is a serious talent.”

Corinthians is helping keep kids off the street

Molloy believes that the importance of the boxing club to the local community cannot be underestimated, especially after Harrington's success, and that the basic needs of the club need to be made more of a priority from politicians in the area.

This is even more relevant now, as Molloy mentioned that since the rise of Harrington, Corinthians has been getting a lot more calls from young girls wanting to learn how to box.

“Corinthians Boxing Club is known for taking young kids off the streets and giving them the opportunity of learning about the sport,” Molloy said.

“Not learning how to be the best boxers in the world and win gold medals, it is about coming in, enjoying the environment, making new friends.

“Over the last couple of months, it has been really hard because we have been inundated with calls for people to join the club.

“We have had to, not really turn them away, but put them on hold because we don’t want to be bringing young children into the club where we have only one toilet and showers for boys.

“That is no way to go and I am sure that the parents would like their kids coming into that environment.

“This is hopefully going to push it on that we are going to get toilets for girls, and showers for girls.”

Toilets are cheaper than a stay in Mountjoy

Molloy is looking for the local politicians to step in and help provide the club with basic toilets for girls to use, as he believes that the alternatives could end up being much more costly.

“We don’t want state-of-the-art, fancy dressing rooms,” Molloy said. “All we want is a toilet for girls.

“Surely, that is not a big thing, is it? You are talking buttons! If we were to take two kids in from the inner city and they were to stay at our club, or they were to go to jail, weigh the money up.

“If girls were to go down the wrong road and ended up in Mountjoy Prison, or we had them in the club three nights a week, how much is it costing for people in prison? How much would it cost to keep them in the boxing club?”

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