Killarney

By Michelle Crean
<h3>A young Killarney girl who has dreams of being the next Katie Taylor has qualified for an Irish boxing final in Dublin tomorrow (Saturday).</h3>
Alana O&#8217;Brien (13) from Hazelwood Drive in Ballyspillane, who took up boxing just three years ago, hopes to become the boxing champion of Ireland by bringing the Irish title back to Killarney.
Alana is daughter of Daniel and Michelle O&#8217;Brien who are temporarily living in Kildare.
She currently trains with Setanta Boxing Club, but her parents plan to bring her home to celebrate her achievements so far.
&#8220;She started aged 10 in Tralee Boxing Club,&#8221; her dad Daniel told the Killarney Advertiser.
&#8220;I brought her to see Katie Taylor in The Brandon Hotel in Tralee. Alana played with Crokes and Celtic but then set her heart on boxing.&#8221;
&#8220;She&#8217;s well able for it, and she&#8217;s gotten so much confidence from it. She won a county title with Tralee Boxing Club but never got the chance with the pandemic.&#8221;
Alana, who attended St Oliver&#8217;s NS and Killarney Community College before their move to Kildare, is so dedicated to her sport that she trains five nights a week. Alana will join Ali Gorman and Elma Barry in the finals in Drimnagh Boxing Club.
&#8220;It&#8217;s an All-Ireland title if she wins. She hopes to bring it back to Killarney and we plan on heading home to Killarney after. She&#8217;s looking forward to it and is full of confidence.&#8221;

Teen to take on All-Ireland title fight this weekend

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