Virginia Going From Strength To Strength
With Irish rugby moving ‘back home’ later this year to the world famous Lansdowne Road site, it is important to recognise the support the IRFU has received from clubs around the country at grassroots level.
One such club is Virginia RFC from Cavan, which is continuing to go from strength to strength, with a thriving Youth section and committed and ever-improving adult teams (senior firsts and seconds, ladies and the over 35s).
In the early 1980s, Virginia answered an IRFU appeal for support from clubs and members to purchase Lansdowne Road debenture tickets for the proposed development of the new East Stand, which was completed in 1983.
Virginia purchased 20 tickets at the time, ten of which were renewed by club members at the last issue.
Club stalwart Wilson Green said that Virginia are looking forward with great interest to continuing their support of Irish rugby at Aviva Stadium.
The club itself, small in stature but big in heart, is making great strides this season at underage level with upwards of 100 players on board.
The Virginia Under-15s and Under-17s reached the semi-finals of their respective Ulster competitions, while the girls are currently top of their table, have qualified for an Under-19 final and the Under-16s are hot on their heels.
2008 saw young Fergal Lynch from Ballyjamesduff create history when he became the first Virginia player to be play for his country, lining out for the Ireland Under-18 Club side.
With the use of Croke Park forming a closer bond between the IRFU and GAA, it is interesting to note that the likes of the Cavan senior Gaelic football squad and the local Ramor United Gaelic football club have been availed of the facilities at Virginia’s Deer Park ground, with a warm welcome afforded on all occasions.
Virginia RFC has certainly stamped its mark on the town, but the first seeds of that community and cross-sport spirit were actually sewn in 1977 when Ramor United and Munterconnaught made their own pitches freely available to the rugby club – an unusual decision in general GAA circles back then.
Of course, thirty years on, Croke Park followed the example set in Virginia by hosting Ireland’s home RBS 6 Nations matches and a number of the autumn internationals while Lansdowne Road was redeveloped.
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