Ireland's Cork County Boxing Team visited Scranton to face local boxers at the Ireland Returns event at the Holiday Inn in Dunmore.
John Morrissey, coach of the team, said Scranton rolled out the red carpet once again for their second visit.
“We were here last November with a smaller team,” he said. “We made the contact of Irish Gene Reed from the Irish Boxing Club, and we’ve expanded on it now.”
The Irish Boxing Club and Long Productions Entertainment arranged the week of events.
“Last year they brought eight boxers,” said Gene Reed, founder of the Irish Boxing Club. “The guys couldn’t believe the hospitality that was laid out for them.”
This year, 14 boxers and their entourage, totaling 23 visitors, were welcomed to a Scranton experience, including chicken wings at Joyce’s Cafe in Minooka, dinner at Stirna’s Restaurant, and Thanksgiving with a large Irish-American family.
“We’re expecting about 50 people,” said Jimmy Keeler, who opened his home for the holiday.
"It's actually my first time ever celebrating Thanksgiving," said James Crowley, who travels with the team as a videographer.
Doug Long of Long Productions Entertainment fundraised and garnered sponsorships to make it all happen.
“We paid for our flights ourselves,” Coach Morrissey said. “But the guys here who have taken us over are paying for our accommodation and the food.”
"The spark is in the air in the valley," Long said at a press conference Wednesday. "We're almost completely sold out of 600 tickets."
Friendly Competition
Local boxers from The Irish Boxing Club had the chance to face their opponents at a press conference at the Marketplace at Steamtown.
"They have a specific style," Scranton boxer Geremiah Emptage said. "A lot of these guys fight on the outside, they like to keep their distance, move their feet, in an out movement, a lot of straight punches. I love their style. I actually study them."
Anthony Mouta from Newfoundland will fight the same boxer he faced last year.
"I beat him last year, I'm gonna beat him this year," he said. "It was a close fight last year, so I have to prove a point."
Some regional athletes will travel for the fight. Brian Long, 30, is anxious to see who he’ll be up against.
“Hopefully he’ll be good competition and a good fight,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting it on.”
“I’ll see him on the day,” Aaron O’Donoghue said of his opponent, who is traveling from Buffalo, New York. “I don’t know anything about him but look, it’ll be a good fight, I’m looking forward to it.”
24-year-old Aaron O’Donoghue, who recently won the All-Ireland Elite Championship, said he enjoyed fighting in this venue last year.
“It’s a good venue alright, and the crowd is good, so hopefully we put on a good show for them,” he said.
“The lighting and the entertainment, it’s not just a boxing show, it’s an event,” Long said.
"It's more alive because they bring the Irish crowd out, and in Scranton it's a big crowd," Scranton boxer Onix Rodriguez said. "So it's gonna be crazy, it's gonna be hectic."
