An Ghaeltacht Rugbaí Form First Ever Men's Team

An Ghaeltacht Rugbaí recently won the Moment of the Month with a photo of their first ever Adult Men's Junior team in the club's history. 

Seán Breathnach, a coach with the An Ghaeltacht Minis and current Adult Junior Player and driving force behind the organisation of the Men's team, said this about their formation:

Bhíomar ag caint agus ag plé faoin bhfoireann seo le bliain anuas. Tá go leor suim an taobh seo tíre i gcursaí rugbaí agus bhíomar i gcónaí ag rá lena chéile ‘Dá mbeadh foireann sinsear na bhfear againn, bheadh sé iontach!’

I mbliana tá a club 20 bliain ar an bhfód agus bhí an coiste ag caint le hiar-imreoirí An Ghaeltacht faoi chruinniú le chéile chun cluiche dúshlánach a imirt in aghaidh Corinthians 3rds. Cheap muid fhéin gur dúshlán mór é seo leaids a thabhairt le chéile. An mbeadh a ndóthain fir thart go háitiúil? An mbeadh suim ann? Dúirt muid go mbainfeadh muid trial as agus bhí muid dóchasach faoin gcluiche.

Bhí ócáid amháin a bhí ar siúl ar an gCeathrú Rua a thug inspioráid mór millteach dúinn agus sin é 24 uair an chloig do spórt in ómós do Aonghus Ó Dubháin. D’imigh ár gcara Aonghus uainn go tragóideach agus bhí suim mhór aige i bpeil Gaelach, Sacar agus Rugbaí. D’Imir sé fhéin don Ghaeltacht faoi aois agus do Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin. Thosaigh dhá cara le Aonghus, Eoin de Buitléar agus Finín Ó Flatharta grúpa WhatsApp le hiar-imreoirí a thabhairt lé chéile.

Thug muid cuireadh d’fhoireann cathrach na Gaillimhe, Corinthians teacht amach ar an gCeathrú Rua le cluiche dúshlán a imirt mar chuid den chomóradh agus bhí an-chraic go deo ag na leaids! I rith agus tar éis an chluiche bhí atmaisféar iontach dearfach agus gliondar croí i measc an ghrúpa comradaí a tháinig le chéile le rugbaí a imirt arís. Ón oíche sin amach,  shocraigh muid Whatsapp eile do fhoireann sóisear An Ghaeltacht Rugbaí, agus thosaigh an scéal ag scaipeadh ar fud Chonamara. Ní mór a admháil go bhfuil dindiúirí níos mó i gceist le foireann úrnua rugbaí a chur chun páirce ná a cheap mé ar dtús. Ach le cúnamh ón gcoiste atá againn don Ghaeltacht agus chomhairle ó Rugbaí Chonnachta & an IRFU, thosaigh an smaoineamh a bhí againn an oíche a rinne muid comóradh ar ár gcara Aonghus, ag tógáil fíor chruth. Bhí an chéad traenáil againn ar an dara lá do mhí na Samhna agus tá muid ag traenáil gach maidin Dé Sathairn ag 9r.n.

Tá imreoirí againn ón gCeathrú Rua, Ceantar na n-Óileán, Cois Fharraige, An Spidéal, Camus, Ros Muc, Cill Chiaráin agus Carna! Tá go leor oibre curtha isteach ag na leaids ar an bpáirc agus tá suim mhór acu tabhairt faoin séasúr seo! Caithfear buíochas mór a ghabháil do choiste páirce Ros a’Mhíl, as ucht cead a thabhairt dúinn A Canal a úsáid le haghaidh traenáil.

Má tá suim ag éinne páirt a ghlacadh nó triail a bhaint as, tá fáilte roimh chách teacht chuig An Canal maidineacha Dé Sathairn. Ní theastaíonn aon taithí imeartha. Beidh muid réidh le thabhairt faoi roinn J2B an bhliain seo chugainn le cúnamh Dé!

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Talks began for the junior team over a year ago. There was always a massive interest in rugby this side of Galway and we always said to each other ‘Wouldn’t be brilliant to have a men’s team!’

This year the club celebrates its 20th anniversary and the committee had an idea to bring back past mini rugby players to play a challenge match against the Corinthians 3rds team. We knew it would be challenging to get the lads back playing together. We questioned ourselves with things such as would we have enough players locally? Is there still a genuine interest in playing rugby? We said we would put our heads down and be hopeful that we could gather the lads together for a game.

It was a local event in my parish of An Cheathrú Rua that gave us the most inspiration. It was an 24-hour of sport Remembrance Day for Aonghus Ó Dubháin. We tragically lost our dear friend Aonghus who had huge interest in Gaelic football, soccer and rugby. Aonghus played at mini rugby level with An Ghaeltacht and at youth level with Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin. Aonghus’s two friends Eoin de Buitléar & Finín Ó Flatharta started a simple Whatsapp group which included past players that played with An Ghaeltacht, and with Aonghus, in the past.

We invited Galway Corinthians to join us in An Cheathrú Rua to play a friendly match between the two teams. The positive atmosphere and excitement around the game was phenomenal! The lads were so excited pre and post game and enjoyed every second of it! The lads were delighted to be back playing rugby again. We then decided that night to create another WhatsApp group Foireann Sóisear - An Ghaeltacht. I must admit, I found creating a new team very overwhelming and there was a lot to take on board, but with the help of the An Ghaeltacht Committee, Connacht Rugby and the IRFU, things started to take a turn in the right direction and become clearer. A crazy idea that started on the night of remembrance to our dear friend Aonghus. We had our first training session on the 2nd of November and continue to train each Saturday morning at 9:00 AM.

We have players from An Cheathrú Rua, Ceantar na n-Óileán, Cois Fharraige, An Spidéal, Camus, Ros Muc, Cill Chiaráin and Carna! The lads put serious amount of efforts in and are excited for the new season ahead. I would like to extend my upmost gratitude to Coiste Páirce, A Canal Ros a Mhíl for the pitch for training sessions.

If anyone has interest in joining, or to try out, everyone is welcome! No prior experience required all levels are welcome to join. We will be hoping to be ready for the J2B competition next year le cúnamh Dé! 

 

Training is every Saturday morning at Coiste Páirce, A Canal Ros a Mhíl from 9:00 - 10:00 AM (before An Ghaeltacht Minis training at Pairc SCC)!

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