Entering the gym I was very nervous. I imagined encountering a lot of tough boys with blank stares who would never warm to me and would freeze in front of a camera. I spent my first hour in the corner. The camera turned off. I giggled to myself and laughed at how wrong I was. Then I kept watching.
I watched how each child put every ounce of effort into each punch, whether they hit the training bag or not. Each punch was followed with a gaze, an excited search for Simon the coach. I saw the sense of accomplishment and ease they got from a single glance or an encouraging "keep it up, buddy." This relationship does not change as the fighters get older. By 7 o'clock, the teenagers are in, loud and boisterous, handshakes and playful punches. When Simon calls time there is precision. Concentration on all fronts.
Every member of Craigmore A.B.C. wants to be there. Some need to be there, some more than others. The beauty of their gym is that, regardless of the reason you are there, everyone is equal.
Everyone is a fighter.
Quiet Fighters is not just about boxing; it is about childhood, diverse cultures and the unwavering support that these young athletes receive from their coaches and mentors.
In a small boxing gym new stories of Northern Ireland are being told. Boxing is traditionally a uniquely inclusive sport. Despite Northern Ireland’s deep-rooted sectarian separatism, boxing clubs remained an inclusive space for Catholics and Protestants to train together even in the height of the Conflict. In Newry’s Craigmore A.B.C different stories of Northern Ireland are being told. Alongside boxers from both sides of the traditional divide, Craigmore has boxers from Africa, China, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, the Irish traveling community and more among its growing membership.
Exploring the profound impact of a community-driven boxing club, Quiet Fighters seeks to capture the transformative power of boxing in fostering unity and providing a positive outlet and discipline for youth from both sides of the traditional divide and beyond.
