Dundalk diamond Egan shines at Madison Square Garden

From Muirhevnamor to Madison Square Garden, Dundalk native, Timmy Egan, has taken a journey few could ever dream of, but one that is inspiring people back in his hometown.

Egan recently delivered a powerful performance to claim victory at one of amateur boxing’s biggest events - the Ringmasters Tournament in New York.

Speaking with the Dundalk Democrat after the bout, he said: “It was a great fight. I was lucky to watch Yonali fight prior to our fight so we had a game plan going in.

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“We knew he’d try and trap me in the corner and try to land big shots. My footwork proved too difficult for him to handle and I was able to catch him with big counter shots every time.”

The strategy clearly worked as Egan’s slick movement and well-timed counters earned him the win which meant more than just a medal.

He added: “It is one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. It was incredible.”

Representing Dundalk and Louth on a stage as big as Madison Square Garden is no small achievment and Egan, who now lives in New York, never forgot his Louth roots.

“Being able to represent the town on such a large scale is honestly one of my greatest feats in life,” the 30-year-old said.

“I remember as a child every year Muirhevnamor sent us on trial with Dundalk FC. I was never good enough to get picked but I always wanted to represent Dundalk. I’m proud to say I have finally represented the town in a huge way.”

It’s been more than a decade since Egan left home in 2013. A move to New York offered him a fresh start, and eventually a chance to chase his dreams.

“No never, when I first got to New York it was to get a change of scenery. I wasn’t the best behaved teenager so I wanted to try and change my life for the better.

“New York gave me a second chance at life. Never in a million years did the boy who landed here as an 18-year-old believe that I’d not only fight in MSG but win at MSG.”

Helping guide him on that path has been his coach, Donal Ward, a man who knows all about carving out Irish sporting history abroad.

Ward, a former Roscommon senior inter-county footballer, made headlines himself in 2019 when he became the first Irishman in over 20 years to reach the final of the prestigious New York Golden Gloves.

Since then, he’s gone on to set up the home of Irish boxing in New York City - BUA Boxing, in Astoria, New York, the club where Egan now trains.

(The moment Timmy won the Ringmasters Tournament at MSG)

“My coach Donal Ward has been a key factor, in every fight I’ve had he pushed me through the mental battle and prepared me for what was to come.

“Boxing can be scary, waiting hours before a fight the mind plays tricks on you, Donal was always there to get my head in the right place to get the job done.”

But the road hasn’t always been smooth. After stepping away from the sport, Egan’s comeback began during the pandemic, at a time when many felt lost.

“Like many people, COVID really messed me up, all I was doing was staying at home and drinking cans of Guinness and Harp,” he admitted.

“When the world opened back up again I was overweight, sluggish and just unhappy. About two years ago I saw videos on -Instagram of Donal Ward doing one-on-one boxing classes in Astoria Park in Queens.”

That moment of inspiration changed everything.

“In November 2023 I decided to reach out to see if I still had the muscle memory for boxing. The first session I did with him I told him I’d love to have an actual fight. He told me if I stayed consistent that he could help me get one.”

That journey led to Ward opening BUA Boxing in January 2024, where Timmy’s resurgence began.

“Donal then opened up BUA Boxing and told me about the competition that was once the Golden Gloves, the Ringmasters. He helped me enter, at this point, the only person I had sparred with was Donal himself.

“I lost in the first round. I was devastated but driven to stay consistent and go back at it again this year. With the help of Donal and the love and support of my wife Jessica, I decided to go all in and give it my best shot. Which worked.”

That mix of hard work and support took him to this moment while balancing his training with bar shifts hasn’t been easy either.

“I work nights at a huge bar in the West Village called Fiddlesticks, I’d finish at 2.00am, go home, sleep till 9.00-10.00am and then go training. I’d train for two to three hours every day and then shower and go back to work.

“My wife is a teacher so on my days off is when we would spend most of our time together. I’m very lucky to have her, she supported me through all of this and sacrificed our time together so I could go and train. I love her dearly.”

Now, after winning the event, Egan wants to give back to the place where it all began.

“Before I left Muirhevnamor, I used to frequent the Youth Club run by 'Banjo' Bannon, he always told me that I could be great and to go and do something with my life. 'Banjo' is still running that youth club taking youth off of the streets and giving them an outlet.

“Next time I go home I’ll go see 'Banjo' and talk to the youth of Muirhevnamor to try and get them to understand that what you put into life is what you get out of it. Hit the gym, focus on something you want to do with life then manifest it until you succeed.”

(A Muirhevnamor FC flag hangs proudly beside the tri-colour in Timmy's dressing room at MSG)

As for what’s next?

“People have asked me this question a lot over the last few days. It’s a hard one to answer, today I’m actually going to be coaching a class at BUA for the first time, Donal’s wife just had a baby so he needs a little time off.

“There are three major competitions here in New York, the Ring Masters, New York Metro, and New York Boxing Tournament. I can only assume I’ll be pushing on to win all three this year.

I’d love to compete in Ireland too. Nothing is set in stone yet. We are taking it day by day.”

From the gym to the middle of the ring in Madison Square Garden, Timmy Egan is proof that dreams really can come true with some heart and belief.