Limerick kickboxing club ordered to quit its home of a decade
AN AWARD-WINNING kickboxing club in Limerick has been told to quit its home of more than a decade.
Limerick Combat Gym holds training sessions in Our Lady Queen of Peace in Roxboro on the city’s southside three times a week.
However, they have been ordered to leave by Parish Priest Fr Daniel Tomasik and Fr Tom Mangan. It’s the parish which owns the building.
In a letter to Combat Gym grandmaster Tony O’Donnell – seen by the Leader – the two priests gave notice to the club to vacate the hall by March 1 next.
"This is a matter of serious regret, but Our Lady Queen of Peace simply does not have the financial means to support the running costs of the facility or the capacity to manage it,” they add.
The letter outlines a request from the finance committee that the hall either be sold or be rented long-term on a full repair and insuring lease basis to a constituted organisation.
Club co-founder Sarah O’Shea said: “It's very upsetting for everybody, especially the kids. They don't know if they are going to have a club to come back to. Obviously we want to keep it going.”
She questioned a claim in the parish’s letter that they cannot afford funding, pointing out Limerick Combat Gym has been paying rent for a decade.
Local Fianna Fail councillor Catherine Slattery is due to hold a meeting on Friday with the Regeneration section of the local authority, alongside the parish.
She said the letter was delivered to Mr O'Donnell during the club's Monday night training session - Combat Gym members gather three times a week.
"Children have left Our Lady Queen of Peace upset last night. This group has put blood sweat and tears into this club, and they are going to be flung out onto the street and that's it. They weren't offered help to find somewhere. Limerick Combat Gym would have happily taken the building," said Cllr Slattery.
She has urged people to campaign to Save Limerick Combat Gym.