Michael "Chick" Gillen (1933 – 30 May 2020) was an Irish boxer and Connacht champion. He was also a finalist in the Irish Army senior boxing championships.
Gillen fought as a light welterweight and was a former army junior national boxing champion. Gillen formed the Holy Family Boxing Club in the 1960s and the Olympic Boxing Club in 1988. He was best known for training Francis Barrett, the first Traveller to reach the Olympics. Gillen trained over 28 national champions, including both junior and senior, and trained many international boxers. Gillen trained the Olympic Boxing members under street lamps because they had no training facilities.[1] Gillen ran a barber shop when he was not working with amateur boxers in Galway.[2] He closed his shop in 2008 after more than 45 years to better enjoy his farming and familial pursuits. He was the younger brother of the late Patrick Gillen, an Irish D-day veteran who received the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur award from France in 2014.
Gillen died at a nursing home in Galway on 30 May 2020, aged 87.[3]
References edit
- ^ [1] Flynn, Bob. From anonymous contender to flag bearer: South Paw Review. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
- ^ "News - 30 July 1998". Archived from the original on 8 February 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2007. Gillen at Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
- ^ McGrath, Pat (30 May 2020). "Tributes paid to Galway boxer Michael 'Chick' Gillen". Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). Retrieved 31 May 2020.
External links edit
- Some Memories of a Galwegian, Biography at the Galway Advertiser
- 2000 RTÉ Radio 1 Documentary “and a bit off the top” about Chick’s barber shop
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