Hamilton Park, Strandhill, Sligo, Ireland – Founded 1890
Congratulations to Sean Henry, Cathal Sheridan and Ross Butler, who were members of the UL-Bohemians U-20 side which defeated Lansdowne in the final of the all-Ireland U-20 Cup at Portlaoise on Saturday last. All three commenced their club careers in Hamilton Park, and their achievement with the hospitable Limerick club is further testimony of the quality of players being produced by the club’s underage coaching system.
Monivea, winners of the Connacht Junior 1 League, have certainly done the province proud in the AIL round robin qualifiers. Having lost their opening game to Ulster champions, Portadown [the outright winners], they made an excellent recovery, as they defeated Munster champions, Cashel [away], and on Saturday last, scored the winning try in the 6th minute of injury time, to defeat Leinster champions, Cill Dara. Continue reading ‘Well Done To Monivea’
Sligo RFC were delighted to be make a donation of some jerseys and sports gear to Sligo GAA star, Dara McGarty, for presentation to the students of St. Jude’s Children’s Home in Northern Uganda,when Dara visited there as a volunteer in January. Many of the students in St. Jude’s are orphaned, as a result of strife and unrest in that part of Uganda.
Dara organised a football tournament at the school, and reportedly,the team in the Sligo RFC colours did the club and the jersey proud, without achieving ultimate success. On a personal basis, our President, Tom Gilligan, wishes to congratulate Dara on his idealism and humanitarianism, and wishes him well in his new position as National Development Officer for the Gaelic Players Association, which he has just taken up.
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The postponed U14 Connacht Cup Semi-Final between Sligo and Westport is re-fixed for this Saturday (April 5th) at 12 noon in Hamilton Park, Sligo. Players are asked to convene at the clubhouse at 10.30am.
The U13 Connacht Cup Semi-Final between Buccaneers and Sligo which was abandoned last weekend has also been re-fixed for this Saturday. The venue has changed to Ballyhaunis and the match kicks off at 12 also. The bus departs from Spar (opposite the train station) at 9.45am and will collect from Collooney (Texaco garage) at 10am.
Members are urged to show their support for the boys in these important games.
Well it was always going to happen – in this the professional age. After lengthy negotiations Sligo RFC and Buccaneers RFC (Athlone) are delighted to announce that they have agreed to merge both clubs. The new Club, called Sli-Buccs, will move to a new neutral ground, in Mayfield, Cork, and is in the process of applying to the Ulster Branch of the IRFU for permission to play all of it’s matches in the north. More on this exciting story later.
Former Sligo Youth player, Paul Gillespie, who has just completed a very impressive season with Dublin University in the AIL, has been selected at full-back on the Irish Universities team which plays the French Universities at Lyons on Saturday next. Paul won a Connacht Schools’ Senior Cup medal with Sligo Grammar School, is former Connacht U-20 player, and looks destined for further honours in the future. Continue reading ‘Former Sligo Underage Players In Big Time’
With the weather forecast predicting improved conditions, the Grounds Sub-Committee are optimistic that Hamilton Park will be in good condition for the week-end’s fixtures. The Connacht Cup U-14 semi-final between Sligo and Westport will take place in Hamilton Park on this Saturday at 3pm 12pm. Continue reading ‘Busy Week-End In Prospect’
Last week-end was a major disappointment for all supporters in the club, as the entire programme of fixtures had to be called off because Hamilton Park was unplayable. To compound the club’s woes, the U-13 squad travelled to Athlone on Saturday for the Connacht Cup semi-final against Buccaneers, and the home referee abandoned the game at half-time because he deemed the pitch at Marist College was unplayable. At that juncture scores were level 0-0, and although the Sligo management felt playing conditions were adequate to complete the game, and were willing to play on, the game did not restart.
Having made the long journey to Athlone following an assurance from Buccaneers on Saturday morning that the pitch was playable, Sligo will now be making strong representations to the Connacht Branch to have the refixture in Sligo.
All games fixed for Hamilton Park were called off, as both pitches was declared unplayable following an inspection on Friday afternoon, so the Connacht U-14 Cup semi-final between Sligo and Westport could not go on, and Westport were immediately informed of this. A friendly U-15 fixture between Sligo and the touring Stratford-on-Avon side from England, had also to be called off, to the disappointment of all involved, as had Sunday’s Connacht Junior 2 League game between Sligo and Castlebar.
The week-end of inactivity highlights the absolute urgency for the club to expedite the construction of its all weather facilities.
All arrangements have been completed for the alcohol-free teenage disco which will be held in the Clubhouse, Hamilton Park on Friday April 11th at 9 pm. Tickets for this event went on sale from the usual sellers last week-end, and at the time of going to press had almost sold out, so immediate purchase is advised to avoid disappointment. This again will be a strictly all ticket disco, and there is absolutely no possibility of anyone without a ticket gaining admittance, or that cash will be accepted at the door.
The Event Organiser, Justin Harte, as usual,has done an outstanding job with all the arrangements, and everyone in the club is indebted to him for his professionalism, as they are to the Chief Steward, Niall Draper. All stewards are required to report to Niall for their postings on the evening, not later than 8.30 pm.
The Club Dinner, the social highlight of the year in the club, takes place in the Sligo Park Hotel on Sunday May 4th, and promises to be a memorable occasion. The special guest speaker will be Anthony Foley, a truly legendary figure in Munster and Irish rugby. On Saturday next, Anthony will be in action in the Heineken Cup quarter final against Gloucester, when he will win his 197th cap for his province. He also was capped on 62 occasions for Ireland, and captained Ireland, as well as leading Munster to Heineken Cup glory in 2006.
The evening is being very generously sponsored by AIB, and the event is being organised by the Social Sub-Committee of Billy Leahy [Chair.], Clare Storey, Mary O’Hehir, Orla Gilligan and Niall Draper. Tickets for the dinner went on sale at the beginning of the week, and may be obtained from any of the organising sub-committee, or from the club President, Tom Gilligan.
As demand for tickets is certain to greatly exceed supply, early purchase of tickets is recommended by the organisers. Tickets for the event will be sold on a ‘first come, first served, basis’, and all applications for tickets from individuals or groups should be accompanied by the appropriate cash/cheque. Last year some applicants for tickets were disappointed as tickets had sold out when they applied, but a small number of people, who had booked tickets, cancelled at the last minute, thus denying others the opportunity to attend. To prevent this recurring, the organisers are insistent that payment must accompany the bookings. Tickets cost 60 euro each.
Among the highlights of the evening will be the awards presentations, when Anthony will present the Hall of Fame, Club Person of the Year, Senior Player of the Year, and Youth Player of the Year awards.
Under the aegis of the Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, supported by Sligo RFC and Connacht Rugby, coaching of girls in Tag Rugby in five Co. Sligo secondary schools will commence on Monday next. The schools involved in the coaching are; Coola Post Primary School, Mercy College, Sligo, Ursuline College, Sligo, Scoil Mhuire, Ballymote and Sligo Grammar School.
The coaching course, which will run for four weeks, will be delivered by Simon Galvan, whose track record as both a coach and a player in Sligo, as a player in the AIL with U.C.D. and Greystones, and in his native New Zealand, is top class. Tag rugby is Ireland’s fastest growing sport, and following the coaching course, a blitz between the participating schools will be organised and sponsored by the club, and held in Hamilton Park.
Sligo RFC plans to promote women’s rugby, and re-enter national competitions, when the club moves to its new facilities. In the past, the club fielded a very strong women’s team, and contested the all-Ireland league final. At that time also, two Sligo players, Therese Cosgrove and Ann O’Toole were capped for Ireland at full International level, while Sylvia Hunter and Finola Monaghan were capped for Ireland at ‘A’ level. Hopefully, some of the participants in next week’s coaching will emulate these notable achievements, and go on to represent their club and country with distinction in the future.
There was a very large attendance of under-age players, parents,coaches and friends of Sligo rugby in Eason’s Bookshop, Shop St., Galway on Saturday last for the launch by International, Peter Stringer of U-8′s coach, Annie West’s illustrated book, ‘Moxie the Underdog’. All in attendance were tremendously impressed by the book, and paid glowing tributes to the author, and were also very favourably impressed by the affable Peter Stringer, who provided the inspiration for Annie to write the book. The club President expresses his deepest regrets to Annie, and to all who were present from the club, for his inability to attend, owing to an illness.
Annie is very appreciative of all who attended, especially those who made the long journey from Sligo, who contributed so much to the success of the launch.
The Volvic Tag Rugby Summer League, will commence in Hamilton Park on Thursday May 22nd, and will run for nine consecutive weeks, until July 17th. The league is being organised by the Irish Tag Rugby Association. Anyone seeking information on the league should access the organisers’ website, www.tagrugby.ie. Last year’s league was a major success, both in a sporting and a social context, and attracted record crowds to the venue, and all indications are that these numbers will be exceeded this year.
Sligo 13 :: Castlebar 24
Sligo made their exit from the Cawley Cup at Hamilton Park on Sunday last when they were defeated by Castlebar in a lack lustre game. Injuries and the Easter holidays conspired to cause Sligo to field without Jamie Livingstone, Peter Mullan, David Greene, Cathal Culhane, Thomas Darcel and Nick Reynolds, and they struggled for long periods of the game.
Continue reading ‘Castlebar Too Strong For Depleted Sligo In Cawley Cup’
