IRFU president Declan Madden visits Wexford to turn sod on New Ross RFC development
The event was attended by a large number of present club members including past presidents and captains of the club and their family members and friends.
The New Ross RFC President, Brendan Roche, opened the event by welcoming all attendees and thanking Declan and Geraldine for their visit. The club captain, Emma Flood, and men's team captain, Rory Browne, gave a brief presentation about the development plans for the club and the motivation behind those plans.
The development includes building new dressing rooms to support the growing numbers of female rugby players and teams in the club, and a new gym that will be fully accessible to all members, including for the Dunbrody Warriors, the club's inclusive adaptive rugby team. A second phase of the project will deliver a 3G all-weather pitch at the grounds at Southknock.
In the years since its founding, the club has developed, within the urban community of New Ross Town and the surrounding rural area, to have over 500 playing members across 20 teams. The demand on training and playing facilities is significantly higher than what was required before and therefore development is now progressing in earnest to address these needs.
Following the presentation, the club held the second of its 300 Development Club quarterly draws. The 300 Development Club has been set up to allow members (individuals, organisations and companies) to support development through either lump sum payments or monthly payments of €30 a month for three years. Quarterly draws are held with prizes of €1000, €300 and €100.
This was followed by a sod turning ceremony in which Declan, with the assistance of the club committee, broke the ground to mark the start of development for the club.
Declan spoke at length about the importance of smaller clubs, such as New Ross RFC, to the development and sustainment of rugby across the country. In particular, he highlighted the contributions of all clubs to 150 years of the IRFU and to the huge success of Irish rugby over the recent years. He also regaled the attendees with stories about Dr. Mick Lucey who was one of the founders of the club in the early 1970s, whom Declan had known and played with.
The day was a huge success for the club and the gathering exhibited the community spirit built around the club and the encouragement continues among all teams. The senior men's and women's teams showcase their own success in performing well in the Leinster league this season, while there were great seasons for all the minis and youth teams also and in the Bank of Ireland NeverStopCompeting challenge.
Individual accomplishments through their work in the local club were also acknowledged recently with the awarding of 2024 County Wexford Volunteer in Sport award to Nicky Haberlin and the awarding of the IRFU Service to Rugby medal to Seamus Doyle.
The celebration was an opportunity for past and present members to reflect on the club's success over the years and, while there was an element of nostalgia for some, it was also a proud day for all involved.
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