The Belfast Organization for Artists and The Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame co-sponsored a Limerick Contest at the First Annual Irish Heritage Festival in Belfast, NY (July 23, 2011). The contest required particiapants to stick to the general poetic rules of limerick structure and the 2011 theme, Irish boxing.
Many thanks to Kathy for making this event possible.
The thirteen entries were viewed by public voters at the Belfast town hall and the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame. After three hours of voting, the winners were determined as follows.
First place and most humorous: Kelly and Addy Fair of Corona, CA
Muldoon taught John Sullivan to box
His fists flew quick like a fox
Bartenders would cry
When he looked them in the eye
'cause if they denied him, they might get a few knocks!
Second place: Jack Risewick of Caneadea, NY
Tribute to the Champ and the Town
John L. was a man who stood tall.
Begorra, how that lad could brawl.
He trained to stay lean
On Belfast cuisine
His statue now stands at the Hall.
Third place and most thematic: Kelly and Addy Fair of Corona, CA
John L. Sullivan-heavyweight champion number one
Thought that bare knuckle boxing was fun
Mississippi was the place
Where he almost lost face
But it turned out that Kilrain was done.
Other Entries:
When Sullivan battled Kilrain
John L. was viewed with disdain.
But Muldoon led his camp
He re-trained the champ
Making Belfast his training domain.
-Julie Parker, Scio NY
There once was a trainer named William Muldoon
From Belfast farm to NY gym he was famed.
In 1889 to Belfast he came
With boxer John L. Sullivan to tame-
For winning bare knuckled against Kilrain!
-Kathy Garrison, Belfast, NY, BOFA member
Two men step into the ring
It starts when they hear the ding
Then one's on the ground
The other dancing around
Sitting high just like a king!
-Taryn Potter, Scio, NY
There once was a boxer named Livingstone
In '84 he set the boxing tone.
Mancini he did match
Boxing crowns he did snatch
For to stand atop the world all alone.
-Kathy Garrison, Belfast, NY ,BOFA member
Redemption in Belfast
There once was a fighter who had fallen.
Booze and hard living damaged his brawlin'.
He came to Belfast.
His wicked ways did not last.
It was here that he reclaimed his calling.
-Brendan Heaney, Belfast, NY
John L. Comes to Belfast
There once was a young boxing man
Who brought with him many a fan
He'd box and he'd box
And got strong as an ox
And his name was John L. Sullivan
-Aran, Theresa, Aiden, Owen, and Finn Heaney, Belfast, NY
An Irish festival in Belfast
Was held to honor an outcast
They called him John L.
And they put him through hell
So that in the ring he would last.
-Mary Mountain, Belfast, NY
There once was a boxer named John
Who didn't know hither from yon
When a trainer Muldoon
Soon changed his tune
The bare knuckle boxer moved on.
-Mary Mountain, Belfast, NY
There is a young boy named Jake
Who learned how to whistle for heaven's sake.
He whistles all day
During work or at play
What a cheerful sound he can make.
-Terry Holcomb, Belfast, NY
In Belfast, Irish boxing came one day.
For training, here boxers went.
For fighting, elsewhere they were sent.
As a fad, it came and went-
But the history is here to stay!
-Kathy Garrison, Belfast, NY, BOFA member
