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Kellie Harrington Leads Ireland's Charge at European Elite Championships

Kellie Harrington is back where she belongs – on a major championship stage, with medals on the line and expectation on her shoulders.

The two-time Olympic champion has been named in a 14-strong Ireland squad for the European Elite Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, running from 17-25 September. It will be her first appearance at a top-tier international event since she defended her Olympic lightweight crown in Paris two years ago.

Harrington walked away after that triumph, announcing her retirement in the afterglow of a second Olympic gold. The comeback started quietly: an exhibition bout in Dublin last December, then a 12th national Elite title to remind everyone that the class hadn’t gone anywhere. She has boxed internationally since, but skipped this year’s World Boxing Cup legs in Brazil and China.

Now comes the real test. A full-scale European Championships, ranking points on the line, and the familiar target on her back at 60kg.

Depth, pedigree and a few rising threats

Harrington is far from the only proven operator in a squad that bristles with medals and experience.

Jon McConnell arrives as the new man with a golden touch, fresh from winning Commonwealth Games gold at 70kg. Alongside him is Michaela Walsh, the seasoned featherweight who took silver in Glasgow, and Jude Gallagher, who added a bronze to Ireland’s haul in July.

At middleweight, Ireland travel with serious firepower. Reigning 75kg world champion Aoife O'Rourke leads the line, joined by her sister Lisa O'Rourke – a 2022 world champion and 2025 world silver medallist at 80kg. Both know exactly what it takes to navigate a major draw and finish on the podium.

The squad also leans heavily on Olympic know-how. Daina Moorehouse, Jennifer Lehane, Dean Clancy and heavyweight Jack Marley all return to the green vest in Sofia, bringing with them the calm that only comes from walking into an arena under Olympic lights.

Shannon Sweeney, crowned European champion in 2024 at 48kg, adds another live medal threat to the women’s side, while Cliona D'Arcy, Evelyn Igharo and Gavin Rafferty round out a group that blends hardened campaigners with boxers itching to prove they belong at this level.

Interim high performance head coach Damian Kennedy summed up the balance, pointing to “huge experience and championship pedigree” alongside fighters “ready to make their mark on the European stage”, and calling it a “very strong team” facing “one of the biggest tests” of the year in Sofia.

Sharpening the edges before Bulgaria

Ireland won’t be going in cold. Before flying to Bulgaria, the squad will host a multi-nations sparring camp on home soil, designed to mimic the chaos and variety of a major tournament.

Boxers from Poland, Hungary and Finland will travel for targeted sparring, giving the Irish team a mix of styles and tempo that domestic competition alone can’t provide. High performance director Jon Mackey believes those sessions, combined with the depth of the squad, offer a strong platform heading into the championships.

Sofia will welcome boxers from 33 eligible nations, with World Boxing ranking points at stake. For some, that means a chance to climb the ladder. For others, it is about protecting hard-earned positions.

For Harrington, it is something different again: a return to the sharp end of the sport she briefly left, with another European campaign and a new chapter in a career that refuses to fade quietly.

Team Ireland – European Elite Championships, Sofia

  • Shannon Sweeney (St Anne's BC, Mayo) – Women’s 48kg
  • Daina Moorehouse (Enniskerry BC, Wicklow) – Women’s 51kg
  • Jennifer Lehane (DCU BC, Dublin) – Women’s 54kg
  • Michaela Walsh (Holy Family BC, Belfast) – Women’s 57kg
  • Kellie Harrington (St Mary's BC, Dublin) – Women’s 60kg
  • Jude Gallagher (Two Castles Olympic, Tyrone) – Men’s 60kg
  • Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim) – Men’s 65kg
  • Evelyn Igharo (Clann Naofa BC, Louth) – Women’s 70kg
  • Jon McConnell (Holy Trinity BC, Belfast) – Men’s 70kg
  • Aoife O'Rourke (Castlerea BC, Roscommon) – Women’s 75kg
  • Gavin Rafferty (Dublin Docklands BC) – Men’s 75kg
  • Lisa O'Rourke (Castlerea BC, Roscommon) – Women’s 80kg
  • Cliona D'Arcy (Tobair Pheadair BC, Galway) – Women’s 80+kg
  • Jack Marley (Monkstown BC, Dublin) – Men’s 90kg

A seasoned core. A clutch of emerging names. And a familiar Irish standard-bearer stepping back into the European spotlight. Sofia will show just how far this group can go.

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