The Irish Christian Brothers have been criticised beacuse their goodness has been abused.
A DUBLIN city centre boxing club is claiming that, after spending €15,000 on renovations to a run-down school hall, they are now being 'turfed out' by their Christian Brothers landlords.
The row that broke out over the use of the hall in St Paul's Christian Brothers School in Dublin city centre has left the 60 boxers of Smithfield Amateur Boxing Club "homeless".
Brian Daly, club secretary and coach of the junior squad said: "We are a voluntary organisation and to spend €15,000 doing up a room that we were only in for two years has crippled the club, it has left us homeless.
"The school went ahead and locked us out and alerted us by sending us a letter.
When the club started using the room, it was in poor condition, said Mr Daly.
"The dilapidated state of the clubhouse meant that it required electricity, re-wiring, plastering of walls and the roof needed fixing due to dampness," he said.
The boxing club then carried out renovation work to make it fir for the young boxers, including installing a new boxing ring.
Angry protests are held outside the school every Monday at 6pm -- and even Olympic champion Kenny Egan has joined supporters of the club.
"We were told in a letter that the school principal who had given us the permission was due to retire, and secondly the head of the board of management told us he couldn't give an outside group permanent use."
However, according to the principal of St Paul's Primary School, it was originally intended the club would only use the room for the school year ending June 2008, but this period had been extended for the boxers and trainers.
"St Paul's Primary School North Brunswick Street permitted a local boxing club to use a room within the school for the year to June 2008.
"The school then sought vacant possession so that it could establish a special needs facility in the room. As the boxing club had installed equipment in the room, the school extended permission for a further year to let the club find other premises.
"The school made it clear it must have vacant possession before the new school year began in September 2009," said Ferdia Kelly, chairperson of the Board of Management.
The situation was compounded in April 2010 as the toilet facilities in the building were no longer fit for use.
According to Mr Kelly, the club was told it could no longer continue to use the building on 'health and safety' grounds and they must vacate it but the club refused on both occasions.
The school has now asked the boxing club to appear before the board in September to put a case to get some of its money back
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This may be my last post for a while as I am off now to Downside Abbey for the course on Latin Mass in extraordinary form. I attended a course a few months ago in Ushaw Seminary, but still do not feel confident enough to celebrate that Mass properly. I do not know if Downside has WiFi.
Is one year enough time for a boxing club to find a new premises? That doesn't seem reasonable
ReplyDeleteSeems strange that the club would put 15 thousand into renovating the school, only to have to leave a few years later. They wouldn't have out the money into it of they knew they'd be locked out shortly after.
The club and school might have a disagreement, but to lock them out then send a letter after the fact seems a bit cruel. no need to resort to that.
Why is the school asking the club to request the money back if they believe they were right to lock them out in the first place?
Looks like they're just trying to save face now.
I might see you there, Father, as I'm trying to find a way of getting there by local buses on my OAP card:)
ReplyDeleteEpsilon, if you would care to go via my name to my blog, you will find details of a bus service from Bath to Downside Abbey. I hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Dorothy - I've checked and it's really helpful!
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting in my little pop up tent in the most wonderful campsite 7acres near Frome on my way to downside tomorrow! These people have been so kind to me - I missed the last bus from Warminster (standing at the wrong side of the road) after getting several buses from Southampton. I ended up being a danger on the motorway to bath so the campsite people came out of their way to rescue me! While I was waiting -this was surreal- a cyclist came along and said he d come from -Southampton - today left at around 3pm - same as me! The campsite people wouldn't hear of charging
ReplyDeleteE
They just said -say a few hail marys - we need them - thank God for kind people they are all around us even when we don't know it!
ReplyDeleteEpsilon, .
ReplyDeleteI was away before your comments arrived,as I explained when I had the great pleasure of meeting you when Father Ray Blake introduced us at Downside. I told all the priests of the sacrifices you had made to travel by so many buses to attend Mass with us at Downside. The Lord blessed you as you were able to be present for the Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form celebrated by the Bishop who had lived under communist rule about which I will post later. MeanwhileI have not forgotten your Mass for 19th.
Do you mind updating to my new blog please?
ReplyDeleteGlad to do so, Jackie.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Father! You are a lovely holy priest, may God Bless you. Today is the feast day of St Maximilian Kolbe as you know. This was the name my son took for his confirmation. I'm off on the buses again now to Leigh Park near Havant where a great Polish priest, Fr Pater Glas has been having perpetual adoration since Thursday until tonight. I only know this through word of mouth from my Divine Mercy friends. I wanted to go last night but the buses didn't run late enough.
ReplyDeleteHow many more great things are going on that we don't know about?!
God is good and there are many people waking up:)
btw a lovely priest at Downside sorted out my pop up tent - it's a real trick to get it back into the right shape for the bag and it would have been hell on the buses to lug back!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks to the Downside Father:)