The long-awaited ‘rumble in te jungle’ took place in Killyleagh last Friday evening when Councillors Billy Walker (DUP) and Terry Andrews (SDLP) squared up to each other in the boxing ring.
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Councillors Terry Andrews and Billy Walker with Nicola Tate, Store Manager at the Spar in Killyleagh who presented a £500 cheque to the event.[/caption]
This much awaited sporting spectacle was a sell out with 300 eager spectators packing intp the Bridge Centre in Killyleagh to see the political heavyweights go toe to toe.
It was, however, a fundraiser for two local charities – Killyleagh Community and Youth Club and PIPS – and there was no doubt that this was a novel effort by the two local politicians to help gather funds for these good causes.
£500 was donated to the event from SPAR Killyleagh which is part of Henderson Retail, of the Mallusk-based Henderson Group, which owns the SPAR, EUROSPAR, VIVOXTRA, VIVO and VIVO Essentials franchise in Northern Ireland.
The great and the good arrived… there was Jim Shannon, DUP MP from Strangford, Margaret Ritchie, South Down MP, Finance Minister Simon Hamilton acting as Billy Walker’s manager, and Councillor Dermot Curran managing Terry Andrews, Strangford MLA Michelle McIlveen, and Councillors Willian Dick, Harry Harvey, Carmel O’Boyle and Stephen Dunn.
Billy Walker and Terry Andrews were in great shape for the fight. Billy said: “We have been training for two months with the East Down Boxing Club. It has bee great fun and it has certainly made us appreciate how tough thsi sport really is. We were really impressed with the you fighters from the local clubs who took part, some as young as seven years old putting up a very good account of themesleves.
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Toe to toe: Councillors Terry Andrews and Billy Walker in a fundraising boxing match in the Bridge centre in Killyleagh.[/caption]
“After the fight we would like to put out a challenge to Stephen Nolan and if he is not uo for it maybe Frank Mitchell. That should also help raise some more vital funds for Homestart and the Alzheimer’s Society and even a few eyebrows.
“Looking back on the fight is was quite strenuous comapred to the talking bouts we have in Council, but we got survived the three minute and a half rounds which was a great achievement!”
Jim Shannon MP said: “This was more like a case of rumble in their stomachs than rumble in the jungle as both contestants were building their strength up… in Terry’s case with double fish suppers and Billy’s idea of a warmup was two beef burgers in each hand. It was fun and both boxers battled it out in the ring, with Billy landing a perfect right hook and Terry a left jab to Billy’s jaw.
Terry Andrews added: “Billy and I have been friends for years and the idea of a boxing match just seemed the right thing to do. It has raised a substantial sum for our causes and we are delighted with this. The training was good fun and the fight although daunting was a real laugh… we were both pretty well out of breath by the end of it but we survived three rounds. It was tough going, but we gave as good as we got.
“But we did raise over £2000 and thanks to everyone who supported us. People are still stopping me in teh street and donating. It has been amazing.”
The final result was a hard fought draw.
