Mick Dowling has represented Ireland in 50 boxing internationals, including two Olympic Games. He also competed at three European Championships where he won two bronze medals. He won a record eight national titles at bantamweight - more than any Irish boxer in a single division.
Mick has been coaching at Mount Tallant since it was founded in 1987. Based at Neagh Road near Terenure, the club has attempted to expand for the last three years but has met with planning permission problems.
Membership: There are just over 20 boxers training with us right now, and they compete at all different levels, with ages ranging from 10-30. We're always looking for new members from the age of 10 upwards.
Status: We compete in all the major championships at Leinster and national level. Most members regularly box in all the Dublin league matches during the season. Our goal is to compete at the highest level possible and prepare boxers to reach their maximum potential in the sport.
Honours: Paul Griffen was with the club before turning professional, where he's had great success in recent years. We've had a couple of Olympic and European competitors in the past number of years, but right now David Kavanagh is national light-welterweight champion and Brian Geraty has boxed at international level. The Tierney brothers, Stephen and John, are great prospects at under-12, while Terry O'Neill is another junior with great potential.
Finest Hour: That would have to be Paul Griffen's success at amateur level for both the country and club, and now of course as a professional.
Worst Moment: That happens every time there is a bad decision in a boxing match, but having a player robbed over poor judging is part and parcel of amateur boxing.
Club Hero: Our coach Michael Sutton is a huge asset to the club. He opens the place, cleans it, and as a big, ex-policeman, the sort of stereotypical character you'd expect to see around a club in New York. He's a real heavyweight specialist and always looking out for the next big "contender".
Greatest Rivals: There's no such thing as a friendly boxing match, so all the other clubs could be classified as rivals. Obviously we are in strong competition with many of the good clubs in Dublin for Leinster titles.
