Gerry Storey

{{short description|Irish boxing coach (born 1936)}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Gerry Storey MBE (born 1936, Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a boxing trainer who has coached the Irish Olympic Boxing Team on four occasions.

Storey is the head coach of the Holy Family Boxing Club in North Belfast.{{cite web|title=Storey receives prestigious Laureus Award |author=Alex McGreevy |url=http://www.irish-boxing.com/may05/17_May_2005_Gerry_Storey.htm |publisher=Irish Boxing |date=17 May 2005 |accessdate=2007-02-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014021842/http://www.irish-boxing.com/may05/17_May_2005_Gerry_Storey.htm |archivedate=2007-10-14 }} Storey and the club were featured in the BBC documentary Fight Town in 2003, and the club also appeared in the Daniel Day-Lewis film The Boxer.{{cite web | title = The unglamorous side of boxing is explored on BBC World Service | author = | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/05_may/13/ws_boxing.shtml | publisher = BBC | date = 13 May 2005 | accessdate = 2007-02-17}} Storey has trained many boxers including Hugh Russell, Neil Sinclair, Barry McGuigan, Paddy Barnes and Carl Frampton.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

McGuigan was training by Storey from the age of 14 through to his Olympic and Commonwealth bids, and claims Storey's club is the "most successful boxing club in the country". Storey's son Sam was also an accomplished amateur boxer who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics, the 1986 Commonwealth Games and won the British Supermiddleweight title as a professional.{{cite news|title=Boxing: Storey gives peace fighting chance |author=Alan Hubbard |url=http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article549462.ece |newspaper=The Independent |date=21 May 2006 |accessdate=2007-02-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930171322/http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article549462.ece |archivedate=2007-09-30 }}{{cite web | title = Irish Legends honoured at finals | author = Bernard O'Neill | url = http://www.secondsout.com/UK/news.cfm?ccs=228&cs=21245 | publisher = SecondsOut.com | date = 2 January 2007 | accessdate = 2007-02-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222420/http://www.secondsout.com/UK/news.cfm?ccs=228&cs=21245 | archive-date = 27 September 2007 | url-status = dead }}

Storey's work has helped to bridge the sectarian divide in Belfast, as he trains both Catholics and Protestants.{{cite news | title = Fighting the good fight | author = Kathleen Nutt | url = http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20000709/ai_n13951351/pg_1 | newspaper = The Sunday Herald | date = 9 July 2000 | accessdate = 2007-02-17}} During the 1981 Irish hunger strike he was asked by Loyalist and Republican prisoners to oversee boxing training in the Maze Prison gymnasium. As a result of his work he won the Sport For Good award at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Estoril, Portugal on 16 May 2005. Storey received his award from Barry McGuigan and Marvin Hagler, and was the first Irish sportsperson to win a Laureus award.{{cite news | title = Storey picks up world sport award | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/4554411.stm | work = BBC News | date = 17 May 2005 | accessdate = 2007-02-16}} Storey was honoured by the Irish Amateur Boxing Association for his contribution to the sport in Dublin on 2 February 2007.{{cite web | title = Joyce shines at National Championships | url = http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0203/boxing.html | website = RTÉ | date = 3 February 2007 | accessdate = 2007-02-16}}

Storey was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours, "for services to Boxing in Northern Ireland".{{London Gazette|issue=58557|date=29 December 2007|supp=y}}

He was married to Belle for many years and has three sons and one daughter. His sons Gerry Junior and Sam were successful boxers.Jack Magowan, [https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/boxing-success-storey-thats-a-real-family-affair/28248026.html 'Boxing: Success Storey that's a real family affair ...']. Belfast Telegraph, 21 May 2005. Retrieved 30 May 2024Gareth Fullerton, [https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/storey-boxing-dynasty-keeping-teen-19826343 'Storey boxing dynasty keeping teen Gerard fighting fit in Irish League']. Belfast Live, 12 February 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2024Johnny Morton, [https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football/northern-ireland/loan-spell-has-made-irish-league-youngster-fall-in-love-with-football-once-again-and-helped-get-him-back-in-the-boxing-ring-with-fight-in-america-scheduled-for-next-month-4531681 'Loan spell has made Irish League youngster fall in love with football once again - and helped get him back in the boxing ring with fight in America scheduled for next month']. News Letter, 23 February 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024