Charity Lords of the Ring
Encyclopedia
Charity Lords of the Ring is an Irish
reality television
competition, broadcast on RTÉ One
. Presented by Lucy Kennedy
and ex-boxer Barry McGuigan
, the four-part series follows ten personalities compete for their charity
of choice, in the field of boxing
. British
broadcaster BBC
is reported to be interested in the show.
Charity Lords of the Ring is broadcast over four episodes on 15 August, 18 August, 19 August and 22 August 2009. It is produced by Screentime ShinAwil and sponsored by Sona Vitamins. Over €
100,000 is anticipated to be donated to the charities involved, with €26,000 going to the winner. The show marks the television production debut of Brian Ormond. One of the contestants left the show before broadcasts began due to a potentially life-threatening swelling to the brain.
The show's finalists were Paul Martin and Sean Gallagher. The final was attended by several females including socialite and model Rosanna Davison
, pop singer, television personality, and sometime glamour model Michelle Heaton
as well as Pippa O'Connor and Tara Sinnott. Seán Gallagher, despite having only partial eyesight, won the series.
.
, with assistance from Tim Witherspoon
, Peter Taylor and Katie Taylor. All ten contributors had to take a half day medical before being allowed compete on the show. It later emerged that RTÉ had asked if the contestants could avoid striking each other above their necks for fear that a violent "gore-fest" might affect the ratings. This idea was dismissed because it was thought the celebrities would look like "total wimps". Some injuries were caused during the programme, including a broken nose for Jack Sheedy from Lee Sharpe and an injured thumb and bruised ribs for Seán Gallagher from Alan Shortt.
The first programme was aired on 15 August 2009. In the first programme, four contestants were selected to take part in first round of contests. Two of the competitors were eliminated. The second programme was of similar format, another two had to leave. Over €100,000 will be divided among the ten selected charities. Professional referees are involved in the show as is the Boxing Union of Ireland
and Brian Peters Promotions.
On 19 August, World Champion boxer Bernard Dunne
appeared on the show.
The final took place in front of a ticketed audience in City West on 20 August 2009. The event also featured an exhibition match involving Katie Taylor.
actor Maclean Burke, Apprentice UK contestant Ben Clarke, celebrity businessman Seán Gallagher
, showbiz reporter Paul Martin, television presenter John McGuire, journalist Joe O'Shea
, children's television presenter Rob Ross, former Manchester United
association footballer Lee Sharpe
, retired Gaelic football
er Jack Sheedy
and comedian Alan Shortt. O'Shea said he lost more than one stone in weight during training for the show.
Ben Clarke left the show before it had even begun after being diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening swelling to his brain. He had complained of headaches whilst training and was told by neurosurgeon
s that he might die if he continued. Clarke was replaced by Ray Shah.
Rob Ross was boxing for the charity Children at Risk in Ireland (CARI).
Co-host Barry McGuigan's diary was published in the Evening Herald
.
newspaper to "Operation Transformation
parading in boxing trunks" but this has been denied by sources. Paul Whitington, writing in the Irish Independent
, reminded potential viewers that "they're celebrities, so watch out for the ones that panic mid-fight and start shouting, 'Not the face, not the face!'".
Claire Byrne, writing in the Evening Herald
, described it as "the best idea anyone has had all year -- throw a group of celebrities into a ring and tell them to beat the heads off each other". Byrne however bemoaned the lack of female contestants, suggesting that politicians Mary Hanafin
and Mary Harney
, beauty queens from pageants such as The Rose of Tralee
, Mary from Dungloe and Miss Ireland
, a possibly nude Nell McCafferty
, actress Amy Huberman
and the hosts of The Afternoon Show
could have helped solve the matter. Michael O'Doherty
, writing in the same publication, ridiculed the contestants who were "short, rotund, and believe that poncing around in a ring for ten minutes is going to make them 'look hard'", whilst also criticising Paul Martin and Joe O'Shea by telling his followers to "ignore their wordy, self-serving bollox". David Robbins, writing in the Irish Independent
, described it as "the lowest point in popular culture since the Circus Maximus
", pointing out that RTÉ, having already placed celebrities in kitchens, hotels, GAA dressing rooms and sinking ships, was now encouraging "celebrities [to beat] each other up" and that this "may reduce the available pool of contestants for future shows, and thus hasten the end of the genre as a whole".
After the series had begun, there were reviews too. Katie Byrne in the Evening Herald said RTÉ were "deluded in terms of what constitutes a celebrity"; however, she admitted it had "come so close to genius" but was lacking in irony. In the same publication, George Byrne dubbed it "RTE's celebrity boxing atrocity", opining that "quite simply, the fact that charitable causes may benefit financially from something is no excuse for bad television programmes...or rotten records" before comparing the motives to those of television programmes Fáilte Towers
and Celebrity You're a Star
and the musical attempts of Queen
at Live Aid
, records released in aid of the Bradford City stadium fire in the United Kingdom in 1985 and the Zeebrugge ferry disaster in 1986 as well as "the dreadful "Let's Make It Work"" which "we were forced to endure [...] on what seemed like an hourly basis on RTÉ radio".
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
competition, broadcast on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
. Presented by Lucy Kennedy
Lucy Kennedy
Lucy Kennedy is an award-winning Irish presenter of radio and television. Along with Bazil Ashmawy she currently co-presents the radio show Weekend Breakfast with Baz & Lucy on RTÉ 2fm. She has been described as "one of Ireland's most familiar faces"....
and ex-boxer Barry McGuigan
Barry McGuigan
Finbarr Patrick McGuigan MBE , known as Barry McGuigan and nicknamed The Clones Cyclone, is a former Irish and British professional boxer who became a world featherweight champion.-Background:...
, the four-part series follows ten personalities compete for their charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
of choice, in the field of boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
broadcaster BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
is reported to be interested in the show.
Charity Lords of the Ring is broadcast over four episodes on 15 August, 18 August, 19 August and 22 August 2009. It is produced by Screentime ShinAwil and sponsored by Sona Vitamins. Over €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
100,000 is anticipated to be donated to the charities involved, with €26,000 going to the winner. The show marks the television production debut of Brian Ormond. One of the contestants left the show before broadcasts began due to a potentially life-threatening swelling to the brain.
The show's finalists were Paul Martin and Sean Gallagher. The final was attended by several females including socialite and model Rosanna Davison
Rosanna Davison
Rosanna Diane Davison was the winner of the Miss World 2003 title. She is the daughter of musician Chris de Burgh. The song "For Rosanna" was written by her father in her honour for his 1986 album, Into The Light.-Education:Her primary education was at Aravon School, in Co...
, pop singer, television personality, and sometime glamour model Michelle Heaton
Michelle Heaton
Michelle Christine Heaton is a British pop singer, television personality, and recently a glamour model as well. She was married to former boyband member Andy Scott-Lee.-Career:...
as well as Pippa O'Connor and Tara Sinnott. Seán Gallagher, despite having only partial eyesight, won the series.
Launch
The series was launched in late July 2009. The contestants were revealed during an episode of Saturday Night with MiriamSaturday Night With Miriam
Saturday Night with Miriam is a television chat show which was first broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One in the summer of 2005. The show runs for six weeks as a summer filler, and is presented by Miriam O'Callaghan, the co-host of Prime Time.- Format :...
.
Format
The programme features the experiences of ten celebrities through recruit trainingRecruit training
Recruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
, with assistance from Tim Witherspoon
Tim Witherspoon
"Terrible" Tim Witherspoon is an American boxer who was twice world heavyweight champion.-Early career:Witherspoon had eight and a half amateur bouts, losing one to Marvis Frazier on decision after getting knocked down....
, Peter Taylor and Katie Taylor. All ten contributors had to take a half day medical before being allowed compete on the show. It later emerged that RTÉ had asked if the contestants could avoid striking each other above their necks for fear that a violent "gore-fest" might affect the ratings. This idea was dismissed because it was thought the celebrities would look like "total wimps". Some injuries were caused during the programme, including a broken nose for Jack Sheedy from Lee Sharpe and an injured thumb and bruised ribs for Seán Gallagher from Alan Shortt.
The first programme was aired on 15 August 2009. In the first programme, four contestants were selected to take part in first round of contests. Two of the competitors were eliminated. The second programme was of similar format, another two had to leave. Over €100,000 will be divided among the ten selected charities. Professional referees are involved in the show as is the Boxing Union of Ireland
Boxing Union of Ireland
The Boxing Union of Ireland is the governing and sanctioning body for professional boxing in Ireland.The BUI is based at Chancery Place in Dublin and the current president is Mel Christle ....
and Brian Peters Promotions.
On 19 August, World Champion boxer Bernard Dunne
Bernard Dunne
Bernard Dunne is a retired Irish professional boxer and a former WBA, and European super bantamweight champion.On Saturday 21 March 2009, Dunne waged the war that he would be best remembered for and defeated Ricardo Cordoba in the 11th round to become the WBA super bantamweight champion in a fight...
appeared on the show.
The final took place in front of a ticketed audience in City West on 20 August 2009. The event also featured an exhibition match involving Katie Taylor.
Contestants
On July 25, 2009 the competitors were announced for the programme. They include Fair CityFair City
Fair City is an award-winning Irish television soap opera on RTÉ One. Produced by Radio Telefís Éireann, it was first broadcast on Monday, September 18, 1989...
actor Maclean Burke, Apprentice UK contestant Ben Clarke, celebrity businessman Seán Gallagher
Seán Gallagher
Seán Gallagher , is an Irish entrepreneur, businessman and politician from County Cavan, Ireland. He is the founder of the company Smarthomes and has featured as a panellist on RTÉ's Dragons' Den. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election.-Biography:Gallagher grew up...
, showbiz reporter Paul Martin, television presenter John McGuire, journalist Joe O'Shea
Joe O'Shea
Joe O'Shea is an Irish broadcaster and journalist. He lives and works in Dublin and makes regular appearances on Irish TV & Radio.-Career:...
, children's television presenter Rob Ross, former Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
association footballer Lee Sharpe
Lee Sharpe
Lee Stuart Sharpe is an English former footballer. Predominantly a left winger, Sharpe joined Manchester United from Torquay United as a youngster in 1988, playing for the club up until 1996...
, retired Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er Jack Sheedy
Jack Sheedy
Jack Sheedy is a former Dublin senior Gaelic football player. He played his club football for Dublin based club Lucan Sarsfields.-Football career:...
and comedian Alan Shortt. O'Shea said he lost more than one stone in weight during training for the show.
Ben Clarke left the show before it had even begun after being diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening swelling to his brain. He had complained of headaches whilst training and was told by neurosurgeon
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
s that he might die if he continued. Clarke was replaced by Ray Shah.
Rob Ross was boxing for the charity Children at Risk in Ireland (CARI).
Co-host Barry McGuigan's diary was published in the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
.
| Contestants | Charity | Amount Raised | Status |
| Paul Martin | ARC Cancer Support | €16,100 | RUNNER-UP |
| Maclean Burke | Baby Max—Wings of Love Foundation | €5,100 | ELIMINATED |
| Ben Clarke | The Irish Anaphylaxis Campaign | |
INJURED |
| John McGuire | Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin | €5,100 | FORCED QUIT |
| Joe O'Shea Joe O'Shea Joe O'Shea is an Irish broadcaster and journalist. He lives and works in Dublin and makes regular appearances on Irish TV & Radio.-Career:... |
Royal National Lifeboat Institution | €17,350 | INJURED |
| Rob Ross | The CARI Foundation | €8,600 | ELIMINATED |
| Ray Shah | Temple Street Children's Hospital | €9,850 | ELIMINATED |
| Lee Sharpe Lee Sharpe Lee Stuart Sharpe is an English former footballer. Predominantly a left winger, Sharpe joined Manchester United from Torquay United as a youngster in 1988, playing for the club up until 1996... |
Lee Sharpe Foundation | €8,600 | ELIMINATED |
| Jack Sheedy Jack Sheedy Jack Sheedy is a former Dublin senior Gaelic football player. He played his club football for Dublin based club Lucan Sarsfields.-Football career:... |
Barrettstown Gang Camp Fund | €9,850 | INJURED |
| Alan Shortt | Mercy Hospital Cork Foundation | €11,100 | ELIMINATED |
Reception
Only 10 per cent of each episode was devoted to actual boxing, with the focus being more on fitness, a strict diet and loss of weight in an effort said to appeal to a family audience. Before broadcast, the series was compared by the Sunday TribuneSunday Tribune
The Sunday Tribune was an Irish Sunday broadsheet newspaper published by Tribune Newspapers plc. It was edited in its final years by Nóirín Hegarty, who changed both the tone and the physical format of the newspaper from broadsheet to tabloid. Former editors include Conor Brady, Vincent Browne,...
newspaper to "Operation Transformation
Operation Transformation (TV series)
Operation Transformation is an Irish health and fitness programme. The show is a cross-media event broadcast via radio, web and television on RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ.ie and RTÉ One since 2008...
parading in boxing trunks" but this has been denied by sources. Paul Whitington, writing in the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
, reminded potential viewers that "they're celebrities, so watch out for the ones that panic mid-fight and start shouting, 'Not the face, not the face!'".
Claire Byrne, writing in the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
, described it as "the best idea anyone has had all year -- throw a group of celebrities into a ring and tell them to beat the heads off each other". Byrne however bemoaned the lack of female contestants, suggesting that politicians Mary Hanafin
Mary Hanafin
Mary Hanafin is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who was a Teachta Dála for Dún Laoghaire from 1997 to 2011. She served as Government Chief Whip , Minister for Education and Science , Minister for Social and Family Affairs , Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport and Minister for Enterprise,...
and Mary Harney
Mary Harney
Mary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
, beauty queens from pageants such as The Rose of Tralee
Rose of Tralee (festival)
The Rose of Tralee festival is an international competition which is celebrated among Irish communities all over the world. The festival takes its inspiration from a nineteenth century ballad of the same name about a woman called Mary, who because of her beauty was called The Rose of Tralee. The...
, Mary from Dungloe and Miss Ireland
Miss Ireland
Miss Ireland is a national beauty pageant held in the Republic of Ireland each year, to celebrate the country's most beautiful women. Winners of the contest represent Ireland at the Miss World pageant. Other winners, including Roberta Brown and Siobhan McClaffey have also been delegates at rival...
, a possibly nude Nell McCafferty
Nell McCafferty
Nell McCafferty is an Irish journalist, playwright, civil rights campaigner and feminist. In her journalistic work she has written for The Irish Press, The Irish Times, Sunday Tribune, Hot Press and The Village Voice....
, actress Amy Huberman
Amy Huberman
Amy O'Driscoll, professionally known as Amy Huberman, is an Irish actress and writer who has starred in numerous productions since beginning her career in 2002 on RTÉ's On Homeground.-Early life:...
and the hosts of The Afternoon Show
The Afternoon Show
The Afternoon Show was Raidió Teilifís Éireann's live flagship daytime show. It ran from 2004 until May 2010. The programme was dropped by RTÉ as part of its new season of television in 2010, to be replaced by two afternoon programmes 4 Daily presented by Maura Derrane and The Daily Show hosted by...
could have helped solve the matter. Michael O'Doherty
Michael O'Doherty (publisher)
Michael O'Doherty is a television talent judge, newspaper writer and the publisher of the VIP magazine group in Ireland. He is originally from Killiney in County Dublin, and was educated at Sandford Park School in Dublin and studied English and French at Trinity College, Dublin to undergraduate...
, writing in the same publication, ridiculed the contestants who were "short, rotund, and believe that poncing around in a ring for ten minutes is going to make them 'look hard'", whilst also criticising Paul Martin and Joe O'Shea by telling his followers to "ignore their wordy, self-serving bollox". David Robbins, writing in the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
, described it as "the lowest point in popular culture since the Circus Maximus
Circus Maximus
The Circus Maximus is an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue located in Rome, Italy. Situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire...
", pointing out that RTÉ, having already placed celebrities in kitchens, hotels, GAA dressing rooms and sinking ships, was now encouraging "celebrities [to beat] each other up" and that this "may reduce the available pool of contestants for future shows, and thus hasten the end of the genre as a whole".
After the series had begun, there were reviews too. Katie Byrne in the Evening Herald said RTÉ were "deluded in terms of what constitutes a celebrity"; however, she admitted it had "come so close to genius" but was lacking in irony. In the same publication, George Byrne dubbed it "RTE's celebrity boxing atrocity", opining that "quite simply, the fact that charitable causes may benefit financially from something is no excuse for bad television programmes...or rotten records" before comparing the motives to those of television programmes Fáilte Towers
Fáilte Towers
Fáilte Towers was an RTÉ reality TV show that was broadcast as a one off during August 2008. The concept of the show involves thirteen celebrities running a hotel for sixteen days and nights in order to win money for their designated charities. The show format was not repeated nor was it exported...
and Celebrity You're a Star
Charity You're A Star
Charity You're a Star is a talent contest created by Radio Telefís Éireann, where various Irish celebrities sing to raise money for the charity of their choice...
and the musical attempts of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
at Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
, records released in aid of the Bradford City stadium fire in the United Kingdom in 1985 and the Zeebrugge ferry disaster in 1986 as well as "the dreadful "Let's Make It Work"" which "we were forced to endure [...] on what seemed like an hourly basis on RTÉ radio".