Jimmy “Spider” Kelly.
A memorial plinth to legendary father and son boxers, Jim and Billy “Spider” Kelly, will be officially unveiled in Derry this Friday.
Speakers at the unveiling of the plinth will include Dr Billy Kelly, son and grandson of the two fighters, and Charlie Nash, former world title contender.
Triax Neighbourhood Partnership Board, in partnership with the Kelly family, Derry City Council, Department for Socjal Development and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, have erected the plinth at the top of Fahan Street close to where both “Spiders” lived.
The name Kelly is synonymous with boxing and sporting achievement in the city.
The Kelly family hailed from Fahan Street and lived there until they moved toHamilton Street in the Brandywell.
The plinth honours both boxers but also the people of the Bogside and Brandywell.
Billy “Spider” Kelly.
As part of the ongoing regeneration and developing of the tourist product in this community Triax believes it was important that local people who achieved and brought distinction to the local community be honoured.
Charles Lamberton, strategy manager at Triax said: “Triax is delighted to have been part of developing this project, remembering and honouring sporting heroes from our past is very important as it demonstrates to our young people that a bit of hard work and dedication and you can achieve in sport or any field.
“Triax is keen to develop the tourist product and trail throughout this community as an economic driver for the regeneration of this area and small but significant projects like this allows us to continually to add to the product on offer”
Jim “Spider” Kelly fought at feather, light, welter and middleweight during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, winning the Irish flyweight title, British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) Northern Ireland Area featherweight title, BBBofC British featherweight title, and British Empire featherweight title.
The plinth which will be officially unveiled this Friday.
His professional fighting weight varied from 125 3⁄4 lbs (57.0 kg; 8 st 13.8 lb), i.e. featherweight to 148 1⁄2 lbs (67.4 kg; 10 st 8.5 lb), i.e. middleweight.
Billy uniquely emulated his father’s 1930s triumphs by winning the Commonwealth (British Empire) featherweight title in 1954 and the British title at the same weight in 1955.
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