‘Galway boxing has lost another one of its greats’ – RIP Chick Gillen
Irish boxing is mourning the loss of respected trainer Chick Gillen after he passed away over the long weekend.
The late Mr Gillen, a seven-time Connacht champion, was one of the great stalwarts of Galway and Irish boxing and trained many champions, including Atlanta 1996 Olympian Francis Barrett, out of the Olympic BC in Galway.
RIP Michael “Chick” Gillen.
— Ciaran Tierney (@ciarantierney) May 30, 2020
A #Galway boxing legend, he achieved fame when he trained Francis Barrett to become the first Traveller to represent #Ireland at the Olympic Games (Atlanta, 1996)
He was also a barber and a mighty character! pic.twitter.com/DwtAzQQ1mI
John Mongan, Secretary of the Olympic BC and a European R&J who training under the late Mr Gillen, extended his deepest sympathies to Maureen Gillen and extended family.
The Olympic BC said that Galway boxing had lost one of its legends.
“It’s with great sadness we wish to inform the passing of club founder and Honorary President Michael ‘Chick’ Gillen.
“Chick founded the Olympic Boxing Club back in the 60’s with him overseeing National Glory for the Club and most notable a representative at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games in Francis Barrett.
“Chick the Barber had always a story or a yarn or two to tell and will be widely missed in Galway City, County and beyond.
“Galway boxing has lost another one of its greats.”
