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The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Truth about Katie reconciliation, whether she should retire & disgraceful Croke Park fight move… Pete Taylor opens up
WITH every punch, every drill, and every spar with his legendary daughter, Pete Taylor felt like he had stepped back in time. Back in January, he shared a Advertisement 5 Katie Taylor retained her undisputed super lightweight titles against Amanda Serrano last weekend Credit:for Netflix 5 Pete Taylor helped train Katie Taylor for her fight against Serrano Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 5 He helped guide his daughter to a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games Credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE 5 They parted ways in 2016 before she turned pro Credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE With a trilogy bout against Advertisement Without a second thought, he leapt at the opportunity and, upon sharing the video to Instagram, declared that Reflecting on that initial spar, he told the Irish Sun: "Words can't explain what it was like. "As soon as we got back in the ring again, it was like we hadn't been apart, you know? "That's where our bond is. Where Katie grew up was in the boxing ring with myself and herself. "We were inseparable, so to be back doing it again, it was amazing." Advertisement The relationship between the two has been the subject of conjecture and speculation since they parted ways nine years ago. Since KT picked up a pair of boxing gloves for the first time, her dad was her coach throughout an important amateur career. Their collaboration within the walls of St Fergal's BC in her native Bray yielded five World Championships, six European Championships, five EU titles, and a European Games gold medal. And it peaked in 2012 when she won an Olympic gold medal in London at a Games Taylor herself had helped to manifest. Pete Taylor opens up on training with Katie Taylor A tumultuous 2016 saw Pete split from her mum Bridget, while Katie controversially failed to retain Olympic honours in Rio. Advertisement She turned professional later that year and, after parting ways with her dad, relocated to Connecticut to team up with current trainer Ross Enamait. Despite talk of a reconciliation, Pete maintains that they have been close behind-the-scenes for longer than people may realise. He explained: "We posted online that we were training together, but we were still very close. I was still over visiting her. "This is a media thing that me and Katie got back together for the fight. It's not true. "We've always been close, and we've been talking for the last five or six years. It was just that I didn't get involved in the training. Advertisement "We were always talking boxing. That's just natural. When I call over to her, we go to the gym together. "She just asked me to help out in this camp, and that was it - but it wasn't that we rekindled this relationship. "We were close all the time. "People love these stories. I think they must have boring lives or something, because they're so interested in other people's lives. "I don't post anything about my own personal life on Instagram. Katie's the same, and then, when we put it up, you could say it went viral. Advertisement "We've always been close. I was actually shocked that it went so viral, to tell you the truth." "We were inseparable, so to be back doing it again, it was amazing." Pete Taylor Last weekend saw her put her super lightweight belts on the line for the second time against Taylor had won both of their previous fights by decision, but left a piece of herself in the ring in concussive battles in Last Saturday called for something different, which is where her dad offered his most effective contribution. Advertisement MORE MOVEMENT He said: "We'd been doing a little bit of training together and I'd asked her to kind of move. "Use her legs a little bit more like she boxed when she was an amateur, and don't get into a slugfest and that's what she did. "It made the fight easy for her." The occasion called for collaboration between Pete and KT's current coach. GREAT MINDS Pete continued: "I was over there in the States and I was talking to Ross. We were just both saying she needs to start moving her legs. Advertisement "Ross was also on the same sheet as myself, saying she has to move her legs. "Sometimes, if somebody else comes along, especially your father, who's trained you for a while, and repeats what your other coach is doing, and you're both singing off the same hymn sheet, I think it just makes sense to you. "When we were training, we were just doing drills that we used to be doing as in the amateurs. 'WORKED OUT WELL' "I just think it worked out well and I think Katie, coming over to The Advertisement It put the pin in a historic trilogy that elevated women's boxing itself, as evidenced by it headlining an all-female card. The show, which included a record-breaking number of title fights, drew a capacity crowd to Madison Square Garden. 5 Pete maintains that they have been close behind-the-scenes for longer than people think Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Already, thoughts have turned to what is next for the 39-year-old, who Inevitably, Advertisement ONLY PRO DEFEAT She also handed KT her first professional loss at the 3Arena in Dublin in May 2023, a defeat Taylor avenged to become an undisputed 140lb champ that November. Their Pete hit out at the GAA HQ bout not having happened already and cited September's And, while he believes his daughter should hang up the gloves, he backed her to make the best decision. Advertisement TIME TO STOP He said: "I have spoken to her every day since Saturday. "She's done everything in the sport. I'd personally like to see her stop, you know? Finish on such a brilliant performance. "When we were training, we were just doing drills that we used to be doing as in the amateurs." Pete Taylor "Croke Park should have been made a long time ago and it's a shame on the people in charge of Croke Park and the Irish Government that they've never made it. It's a disgrace. "You put American football on there and everything else on there and then you can't put an Irish sportsperson. 'DISGRACEFUL' "I think it's actually disgraceful that it has never been made. Advertisement "I'd like to see Katie retire but Katie has the right to decide what she's gonna do and make her own mind up, no matter what. "She's not asked my opinion. If she asked my opinion, I'd say it's entirely up to you. You owe the sport nothing. "If you do stop, it's a great time to stop. If you do go on, well, go on, but make sure you're going to go on and give it 100 percent, and don't have one thought in retirement and one thought in going on. "I think she's a little bit like
Extra.ie
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Ireland v Georgia: What you need to know ahead of huge test for Ireland's prop idols
When you think of scrums, the Georgians immediately spring to mind. When it comes to the dark arts of the set piece, the Lelos are the masters. Many Tier One forward units have packed down against Georgia and still bear the scars – both mental and physical – from the experience. The nation that straddles Europe and Asia has always produced giant forwards and hardy props who love to scrum. A 2018 training session between England and Georgia on a school training pitch in West London still lives in infamy. Then England head coach Eddie Jones felt his forwards could do with a scrummaging session against the Georgians, and it proved a sobering afternoon for the hosts. 27 February 2016; Stuart McCloskey, Ireland, is tackled by Dylan Hartley, England. Pic: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE 'We got a hiding that day,' former England captain Dylan Hartley recalled years later. Joe Marler got through a gruelling shift on the loosehead side of the scrum and remembers that referee Wayne Barnes, who was bussed in to bring a bit of order to all the chaos, began to fear for the well-being of the English pack. 'We had a five metre scrum and it was under the sticks near one of the posts, and he said, 'wait, hang on a minute' and he moved the scrum 10 metres away from the posts because he was worried we were going to go back so fast that there would be an injury going into this post.' This is what a young Irish pack will be facing this weekend. This rising rugby nation has long been banging on the door for further exposure. Pleas to be included in the Six Nations or at least a shot at gaining a seat at the championship table through a promotion bid have fallen on deaf ears for years, despite Georgia claiming recent wins against Wales and Italy. Caelan Doris. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile On Saturday, they will look to make a big statement against a Six Nations heavyweight. Ireland arrives in Tbilisi this week for a match at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium. The visitors are without 16 frontliners, who are on Lions duty in Australia, while key players such as Caelan Doris and Robbie Henshaw have been ruled out through injury. Cian Healy, Peter O'Mahony and Conor Murray have all called it a day. So, this is a depleted Irish squad which, lest we forget, is shorn of head coach Andy Farrell and a host of assistant coaches and key backroom members. But it would still be a huge scalp for the Georgians. They will be fired up for this meeting. Their home stadium will be packed to the rafters, and, despite the 9 pm local kick-off time, it is expected to be a sweltering night in their capital city. Pic: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) This young and experimental Irish team is going to feel the heat all evening, especially at scrum time. It almost feels like this fixture was engineered to stress test the next generation of Irish props. Much has been made about the depth, or lack thereof, in the Irish front-row departments of late. This is not a new development. John Hayes and his successor Mike Ross effectively propped up Irish scrums for the best part of two decades between them. It was only when Andrew Porter emerged on the scene to back up Tadhg Furlong that Ireland seemed to have genuine depth at tighthead. Porter was subsequently shifted over to the loosehead side. The situation was so bad last year that the newly-appointed IRFU performance director, David Humphreys, announced that the provinces would need to adhere to a recruitment freeze on overseas front-rowers the following season. Humphreys has rowed back on that stance. Thomas Clarkson. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile The emergence of Jack Boyle and Thomas Clarkson in the Leinster system was seen as a positive development, while Michael Milne and Lee Barron moving to Munster was another encouraging move. And Ireland's next generation of young front-rowers are set to be put to the test this weekend. Furlong, Finlay Bealham and Porter are on Lions duty, while Healy has hung up his boots. The Leinster stalwart was still going strong at 37 last season, but the fact that his province and country were still leaning so heavily on him as a back-up to Porter said everything about the lack of trust in the younger candidates. Now, interim head coach Paul O'Connell is set to pit a front row of greenhorns against one of the fiercest scrummaging packs in the world. An all-Leinster front row of Boyle (23), Gus McCarthy (21) and Clarkson (25) are primed to start in Tbilisi. This could be a massive weekend in the burgeoning careers of three front-rowers with a combined total of 12 caps between them. McCarthy was a breakout star of the autumn internationals series when the academy hooker was handed a Test debut against Fiji at Aviva Stadium. Now that Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher are on Lions special ops, he has another brilliant opportunity to move further up the pecking order. Boyle and Clarkson have both made massive strides in the past 12 months. The former made two impressive late cameos from the bench against Wales and Italy in the Six Nations. Clarkson's one and only Ireland start came against the Welsh in Cardiff. The Leinster tighthead had a tough afternoon, but he has clearly learned from the experience. Clarkson has always been a mobile prop who gets through plenty of work around the park. His scrummaging has notably improved as well, however. The URC final felt like a big day in his career. A giant Bulls pack – featuring monstrous Springbok tighthead Wilco Louw – was widely tipped to do a demolition job on a Leinster pack that was without the services of the injured Furlong. But head coach Leo Cullen made a big show of faith in Clarkson, keeping renowned French tighthead Rabah Slimani in reserve and backing the young tighthead to lock out the Leinster scrum. And Clarkson excelled as the South Africans were put to the sword in Croke Park. Another big shift against the Georgians and Clarkson can look forward to more exposure, with Leinster and Ireland, in the coming years. The same goes for Boyle. Because the Georgians are the ultimate test in this area. No better time to see if Ireland's fledgling props have the right stuff.
The Irish Sun
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Popular RTE star pays emotional tribute to ‘horse of a lifetime' that was feature of racing coverage following sad death
RTE RACING analyst and former jockey Katie Walsh paid an emotional tribute to her "horse of a lifetime" after his sad death. Thousand Stars died aged 21 after spending his retirement in the care of Walsh. Advertisement 2 Katie Walsh, left, paid tribute to Thousand Stars following his death Credit: Barry Cregg / SPORTSFILE 2 The horse was a regular on RTE TV after retirement Credit: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile The horse, which was trained by He was steered to three victories by Katie Walsh, who paid loving tribute to the rival and stablemate of Hurricane Fly. The daughter of Ted Walsh told "The County Hurdle was a great day, it was my second winner at Advertisement Read More on Horse Racing "The Prix la Barka was brilliant too and I rode him in a lot of Grade 1s, chasing home Hurricane Fly on numerous occasions. He ran in a lot of top-class races. "It just goes to show how sound he was of wind, legs and wind and everything. "That's the standout part about it all. He had a lot of runs in "He definitely stood the test of time and was a very sound horse." Advertisement Most read in Horse Racing Exclusive In a racing career that spanned ten years, Thousand Stars earned well over £1 million in prize money before retiring in 2016. In the subsequent nine years, he became a regular feature on 'Absolutely priceless' video shows Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson singing 'We Are The Champions' at Cheltenham It was on board Thousand Stars that Walsh would conduct post-race And she added: "He was with us a long time, it was lovely to have him. Advertisement "I used to do all the RTE work and the jockeys' interviews on him. "He was a great horse for that and I rode him in a Racehorse to Riding Horse event at the RDS [Dublin Horse Show]. "From the day I went to Willie's, he was there and since he retired, he's been with us. "He was always around the place and it was great to get the opportunity to look after him and I'm sorry he's gone." Advertisement Hers was one of a number of At The Races said: "Grade 1 wins in France and "Remembering National Hunt favourite Thousand Stars who has sadly died aged 21." RacingTV posted: "Sad to hear of the passing of Thousand Stars at the age of 21. Katie Walsh described him as "The horse of a lifetime."" Advertisement Ben said: "Sad to hear Thousand Stars has passed away. Was a class horse on his day and have great memories of him from my time at Cheltenham"
The Irish Sun
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Irish jockey ‘angry at my body' but holding onto ‘glimmer of light' after being left paralyzed by life-altering injuries
IRISH jockey Graham Lee admitted he was "angry at my body" after suffering life-changing injuries from a horrific fall. The Galway rider, 49, when he was unseated in the stalls in a Flat race at Newcastle in November 2023. 2 Graham Lee suffered life-changing injuries from a fall Credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE 2 He has opened up on the emotional journey The 2004 Aintree winner and legendary figure in the weighing room was left paralysed from the neck down and has required 24-hour care ever since. His daughter Amy started a JustGiving fundraising page for the Injured Jockeys Fund which has raced beyond £200,000. In an And while he admitted to being angry at his body in the aftermath of the injury, he is holding out a 'glimmer of hope' that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Read More on Graham Lee He said: "I had lots of broken bones and plenty of head injuries along the way but my body always overcame the obstacles. "It always healed. This ain't healing. "That makes me angry at my body, which is probably very unfair because my body is okay, it's just the spinal cord that is broken. "I'm angry because in the past my body collapsed but then came back. At the minute, there is no coming back. Most read in Horse Racing "When you're a jockey, you always dream of getting on that one horse who will take you to the next level. "My situation is the same. I'm hoping and I'm dreaming. That's what keeps us going. My dad was a Grand National legend envious rivals called 'God' - but life's changed in many ways since his accident "I'm just hoping that somewhere, some day, there will be that glimmer of light." Lee reserved particular appreciation for his wife who has stuck by him throughout his recovery. He added: "I am the luckiest man in the world to have the most amazing wife. "Excuse my language but she is my f***ing rock. "In Amy and Robbie, I've got two amazing children who are happy, healthy and make me feel incredibly proud and fortunate. "Yes, I have to get Becks to scratch my nose or itch my ear, and I probably do her head in, but I'm so lucky to have her. "I was lucky to have a very good career but, at the end of the day, it means nothing. "People say to me, 'Wow, you won the Grand National, you won the Gold Cup.' So what? It means nothing. "I would give up every winner I ever rode to walk out of this room. "If the TV was switched on and I saw Amberleigh House winning the Grand National or Trip To Paris winning the Gold Cup, it would be like watching a totally different person, even though I know it was me. "I'll be forever thankful for what racing has given us as a family, but at the minute I can't forgive racing for what it has taken away from me. "Maybe that's because it's still raw."
The Irish Sun
21-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
GAA ace Davy Fitzgerald breaks silence on son's rehab for ‘out-of-control gambling addiction' after €35k bank thefts
CLARE hurling legend Davy Fitzgerald has said he is 'proud' of his son for facing up to his gambling addiction and seeking treatment. Colm Fitzgerald recently 3 Davy Fitzgerald with his son Colm in 2013 Credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE 3 Colm avoided jail after stealing €35,000 from his employer Credit: Brendan Gleeson Speaking for the first time about his son's case, In an interview with 'I don't want to go into it too much but so far, so good. He's trying very hard. Read more on Davy Fitzgerald 'There was a lot of stuff he had to go through but I'm proud of him. He would get a lot of stick and sometimes you have to take that. Sometimes you do things you shouldn't do, you accept them and you move on.' Last month a The The Games are an outdoor pursuits-style competition for corporates and business to raise funds for the charity's life-saving work. Most read in The Irish Sun Davy said: 'The Samaritans do such a great job. 'I've spoken openly before about my own mental health struggles in the past and I truly believe in what the Samaritans do, giving people the time and a safe space to work through their problems. Fans condemn ugly scenes as Davy Fitzgerald and Waterford rage over late decision that sees Clare edge victory 'Speaking through your thoughts and having someone to listen, in confidence, is often what someone needs to see a way out.' The GAA man admits he feels under pressure himself, being recognised on the street, but tells himself to ignore the negatives. 'YOU'LL SNAP AT THEM' He said: 'I get both sides of it. 'You don't mind nice people coming up to you who want to stop and chat. But you'll meet the opposite as well. Someone who has a go and you'll snap at them and regret it afterwards. "That happened to me recently. Something was said. I didn't like it and I thought there was no call for it. 'I reacted and I shouldn't have. No matter what was said to me. I should have let it go.' ACTION NEEDED But the hurling manager and former player believes people have to face worse from online trolls. Davy said: 'I've no problem with people's opinion but not when it gets personal. Stuff on social media can affect your family. 'I can't believe there isn't legislation there to stop it. 'It's something I call on the Government to deal with. Freedom of speech is one thing but having a go at people just isn't right. It's tough when people online just want to attack you.' CHARITY EFFORTS Davy repeatedly stressed the importance of being able to talk to someone about a problem. He has teamed up with adventurer Dane Galligan, his TV co-star from The challenges include balance beams, monkey bars, and the ultimate test — the 'Final Climb for Samaritans' — a 12ft ramp featured on Ireland's Fittest Family. GET INVOLVED SAMARITANS Away Day Games will be held on Friday, September 26 at Wanderers Stadium, Dublin 4. For more info and to register visit: Samaritans is a suicide prevention charity which encourages people to reach out for support before an issue becomes so overwhelming you see no way out. Its volunteers answer more than half a million calls and emails every year to its freephone number 116 123 and email jo@ supporting people with a range of concerns including mental health issues, loneliness and isolation, family and relationship problems, as well as from people who are feeling suicidal. 3 Davy Fitzgerald has been manning an impressive charity campaign Credit: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
