Roscommon sisters named on Irish boxing team for European Championships

Roscommon sisters Aoife and Lisa O'Rourke have been included in the Ireland team which will contest the 2026 European Elite Championships in Sofia, from September 15-26.

Boxing Ireland has named a 14 strong team to compete at the Championships in the Bulgarian capital later this month.

The European Elite Championships is a World Boxing ranking event in which 33 federations are eligible to participate.

The team includes double Olympic Champion, Kellie Harrington, who will be boxing for Ireland at benchmark-event level for the first time since her historic Paris win.

The team also features six Paris Olympians, Daina Moorehouse (51kg), Jenny Lehane (54kg), Jude Gallagher (60kg), Dean Clancy (65kg), Jack Marley (90kg) and 57kg Michaela Walsh, the Commonwealth Games silver medalist at the weight. CWG 70kg champion, Jon McConnell, will also be competing in Sofia.

The team is completed by 2024 European champion, Shannon Sweeney, World Youth champion and European U23 bronze medalist Cliona D’Arcy, Evelyn Igharo (70kg) and Gavin Rafferty (75kg).

Interim Boxing Ireland High Performance Head Coach, Damian Kennedy, said the team has "huge experience and championship pedigree within the squad."

"The blend of experience, ambition and potential gives us a very strong team. The European Championships will be one of the biggest tests our athletes face this year, with an exceptionally high standard expected in Sofia," Kennedy said.