Tipperary’s Ciaráin Shanahan is King of the Muay Thai world

It is rare you get to meet the best in the world at any given sport, but it was an honour I had last week when Ciaráin Shanahan called into the Tipperary Star offices in Thurles with his world title belt that he had earned in the ring after many years of climbing to the very top of the Muay Thai world.

The Leugh, Thurles native is fast becoming one of the most recognisable sporting figures to hail from Tipperary this century.
Based in England, he is a full time Muay Thai fighter and also coaches near where he lives.

‘The Menace’ fights in the Muay Thai Grand Prix and won the KGP World title under ‘Oriental’ or Kickboxing rules with 4 ounce gloves. The fight with Reece Rowell was stopped in just over two minutes at Crystal Palace, London in March.

It has been a meteoric rise for Shanahan to get to the top in his sport but it has been full of hard graft since he set foot in Pat John McCoole’s gym in Thurles as a teenager: “Eleven minutes went in for two and a half minutes work,” he says reflecting on his title win.

The proud Tipperary native takes us back to where his journey began: “Under certain circumstances I ended up finding myself at a kickboxing gym and thankfully that was with Pat John McCoole.

“I couldn’t have had a better introduction to the sport. He taught me about the benefits of it and also about finding that passion. I found that passion in the gym,” he says.

Following his dream to get to the top and go as far as he could meant a fire was lit inside him where his passion and determination shone through from his school days: “To be able to win a World Title in a Martial Art that I love is just phenomenal. It is better than any kind of money that you could offer anyone.”

Ciaráin’s late grandfather John Shanahan was a legendary figure in Upperchurch Drombane GAA circles and was an established hurler for many decades.

The Muay Thai fighter has relied on his huge circle of friends and family from Thurles, Borrisoleigh and Upperchurch throughout his professional career. His family offered support since he left school to pursue his dreams: “The support is amazing.

“Through thick and thin my mother, father and sister have been beside me. They saw the vision and the hunger. The last 11 years have been a rollercoaster of highs and lows.”

He trains twice a day and his trainer Andy Newell is busy preparing him for his next fight against a Frenchman who will make the trek to London later this month. It is all go. Remember the name because Shanahan is taking the world by storm.