Kellie's Kildare grand uncle is proud as punch of the boxer's Olympic gold medal

A Kildare family member of Olympic lightweight boxing champion Kellie Harrington hopes to meet the golden girl at her homecoming celebrations in Dublin this week.
Ollie Harrington, who is the gold medal winning boxer’s grand uncle, said he always expected great things from the 31-year-old because of her dedication to the sport.
Ollie, who grew up in Kill and later settled in Ardclough with his wife Margaret, said the family is very proud of Kellie’s achievements in the boxing ring in Tokyo.

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Ollie is the younger brother of Kellie’s grandfather John Sonny Harrington who passed away over 12 years ago. Kellie’s grandmother was the late Esther Lynch from Newbridge.
Ollie (78) told the Leader: “Kellie was always going to go places. She has a very positive attitude and a very resilient character. She is dedicated to her sport.
“You’d want to see the training she does.”

Role model
He added: “She is a great ambassador for our family and a great role model for young people especially women involved in sport.”
He added: “She sends me tickets to her fights in the National Stadium in Dublin and I go there to watch her with my son.
“I remember once she broke her hand and I never saw somebody so upset about something because she thought her career was over.
“But she got surgery and she bounced back from it and never looked back.”
Ollie also revealed that he played boxing himself nearly 60 years ago but his career was cut short by an injury.
He explained: “I was around 22 and I used to take up boxing in the winter to stay fit. But I got my jaw broken in the Jack Higgins Cup in the Fairgreen in Naas.
“I just gave it up after that!”
Ollie said he decided not to travel to the family home on Portland Row at the weekend as the roads were already very busy with fans travelling to the All Ireland Hurling semi-finals in nearby Croke Park.
Ollie and his family hope to be able to be travel to Dublin this week to congratulate Kellie.
Guidelines
He said: “Of course we will follow any guidelines that are there.”
The fitness gene runs in the Harrington family as Ollie has had a long and successful career as a footballer and hurler with Ardclough.
He added: “I walk three or four miles every morning, about six days a week.
“I enjoy it and I’m lucky I’m able to do it!”
Ollie remains a big GAA fan and travels to every Kildare game he can and said he’s optimistic about the current young Kildare team.
Kellie also has other family links in Kildare as she is a second cousin of jockey Seamus Heffernan who has won several classics including the Irish Derby.
Ollie will be hoping there’s more success to come for the golden girl from Portland Row.