This week’s special podcast is a look down memory lane at arguably the best boxing gym and stable ever to come out of Ireland, the famous Barney Eastwood stable of the 1980-1990's.

Barney Eastwood was born in 1932 in Cookstown, Tyrone. He was a talented Gaelic footballer, winning the All Ireland Minor title in 1948. His love of boxing would begin after watching US soldiers box at the US Army base in Tyrone back in WW2. Barney would start his own bookmakers business in the 1950's and after building an empire, he would turn his attention to his love of boxing.

Barney would build a gym and stable of fighters/coaches over the next two decades that would compete with any gym in Europe. Barry McGuigan, Hugh Russell , Herol Graham and Dave McAuley would win World, European and British titles during the 1980's. Who can forget the special nights with Barry McGuigan and the amazing relationship they built together which unfortunately would turn sour years later.

By 1992, Paul Hodkinson, Crisanto Espana and Victor Cordoba would also join Dave 'boy' McAuley as World champions. Countless other champions would make their mark in the gym including Ray Close, Sam Storey, Noel Magee, Crawford Ashley as well as future World champions Eamonn Loughran, John Lowey and Steve Collins.

Barney Eastwood would end his love affair with boxing by the late 1990's and eventually sell his successful Eastwood's bookmakers chain in a huge multi-million pound deal. He would retire to his home in Holywood with his wife Frances until his sad passing in 2020. He legacy lives on and he will forever be regarded as the 'Godfather of Irish boxing'.