An award-winning Consett brewery is set to launch a new beer in honour of a north-east boxing hero.

Consett Ale Works is bringing out the beer to celebrate the fact that almost 30 years have passed since Consett boxer Glenn McCrory became the first fighter from the north east to win a world title.

Glenn – despite being the underdog – beat Patrick Lumumba in a bout at Stanley’s Louisa Centre on 3rd June 1989 to win the World Cruiserweight Title.

A crowd of 1,500 witnessed Glenn’s victory at the Louisa Centre and the fight was also broadcast live to an international TV audience.

The beer, Our Hero, is a traditional English Pale Ale, with an alcohol content of 3.8%. The brew will be unveiled on Monday April 8th at 7.30 pm at The Grey Horse pub, 115 Sherburn Terrace, Consett, DH8 6NE.

The unveiling ceremony will be kicked off by a talk from Glenn himself. Also present will be north-east playwright Ed Waugh.

Ed is the writer of Carrying David, a comedy drama charting Glenn McCrory’s ups and downs on his way to winning the world title. The play focuses on the relationship between Glenn and his terminally ill younger brother David, who helped spur the boxer on to success.

Carrying David is due to tour the north east in May and June. Ed Waugh also wrote the sell-out London show Hadaway Harry, co-wrote the international hit Dirty Dusting, and penned the regional hits Mr Corvan’s Music Hall and The Great Joe Wilson.

David Wilkinson, of Consett Ale Works, said, “Glenn is a sporting superstar hailing from North West Durham so it was a no-brainer to celebrate his brilliant achievement to link in with the 30th anniversary of his victory and Carrying David.”

“Here at Consett Ale Works we brew beers to celebrate the region’s industrial heritage of shipbuilding, coal and steelmaking, which have forged the backbone of our proud northern landscape.”

“Glenn is a product of that wonderful heritage; his father was a Consett steelworker and his four uncles were miners in local pits.”

thumbnail_our hero pump clip
The pump clip for Our Hero, featuring an image of Glenn McCrory winning his world title

Glenn McCrory said, “I joined Consett Sports Centre Boxing Club aged 12 and my amateur boxing debut took place on October 6th, 1979, in Witton Gilbert Working Men’s Club, a fortnight after my 15th birthday. Great memories.”

“I trained in Consett for the world title fight, running the Consett moors every day with my wonderful trainer Alan Walker, who still lives in Castleside. I even ran a pub there!”

“I’m delighted Consett Ale Works are brewing a beer to commemorate the world title. It’s a canny pint as well!”

Our Hero – which is available in cask and bottles – is on sale in The Grey Horse and will soon be appearing in other pubs and outlets across the north east.

Tickets to attend the launch of Our Hero cost £5. This price includes Glenn’s speech and a commemorative bottle of Our Hero. A limited number of tickets can be bought on the door at The Grey Horse. Tickets can also be purchased by phoning David Wilkinson on 01207 502 585.

To learn more about Our Hero and Consett Ale Works, please go to http://www.consettaleworks.co.uk/.

Carrying David – starring Mick Cochrane as Glenn – will be staged at the Alun Armstrong Theatre in Stanley on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th June, at 7.30 pm on both nights. There will also be a matinee on the 4th, beginning at 2.30 pm.

The play will be performed at Tyneside Irish Centre, Newcastle, on 31st May. The Carrying David tour will also visit Playhouse Whitley Bay, Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre, Westovian Theatre (South Shields), and the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, North Yorks.

For further information about the play, please go to https://www.wisecrackproductions.co.uk/.

(The featured image shows a bottle of Our Hero.)


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DavidSunderland
David writes about local news, thought provoking stories, and yearns to capture the community spirit with a unique writing style.

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