Coalisland loses a ‘community hero’ in Frank Gervin, MBE

The 69-year-old, who first set up Clonoe Boxing Club along with his wife Susan in 1972, has trained boxing champions and fostered hundreds of children down through the years.

The couple were included in the Queen’s birthday honours list in 2013 for services to the community.

More recently they started a campaign to try and save their 40-year-old boxing club when news emerged that the premises they used would no longer be available.

Club alumni includes Olympian Tommy Corr - the first Irish boxer to bring home a medal from the sport’s world championships when he secured bronze in Munich in 1982, and more recently, Conrad Cummings.

Tributes to the veteran trainer and “true gentleman” have already started flooding in on Twitter.

Conrad Cummings said: “Saddened of the passing of Frank Gervin, my first boxing coach/head coach of Clonoe ABC. A true gentleman and ambassador for boxing. #RIP”

Barry McGuigan has also voiced his sadness online.

“So sad to hear of FrankGirven’s passing, one of life’s gentlemen who help so many young people realise their potential #RIP”