Inaugural Club Community Rugby Officer Conference Takes Place

The 2018 Club Community Rugby Officer CPD Conference is the first of its kind in Ireland, allowing officers to come together, up-skill and share ideas and expertise. Workshops took place on personal worth, inclusive coaching and adapting for mixed ability, introduction to Sevens rugby, coaching female players, tackling and coaching unit skills. 

Speakers included IRFU Head of Coach Development Matthew Wilkie, Ireland Women’s 15s head coach Adam Griggs and IRFU Women’s and Girls Rugby Development Manager Nora Stapleton. Workshops featured theoretical discussion as well as on-field practical elements. The conference was rounded off with an address from Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt.

The conference was facilitated by IRFU Rugby Programmes Officer Colm Finnegan, who said: “These staff often get an opportunity to up-skill within their provinces, but this was a chance to bring them together and look at some of the things that we, as the IRFU, are doing, as well as encouraging them to share expertise across provincial boundaries.

“The opportunity came about as part of our partnership with Aldi who work with us on our Aldi Play Rugby programme and they were able to add value to the whole occasion. This is the first time in the history of the Club Community Officer Programme that we’ve had an opportunity to bring everyone together under one roof to share ideas and expertise and discuss our values within Irish Rugby.

“It was a wonderful experience over the two days and one which I’m sure will become a firm part of the Club Community Rugby Officer calendar.”

Club Community Rugby Officers are central to the development of Irish Rugby. They provide invaluable support to clubs, schools and local communities who want to enjoy rugby in a positive, safe and healthy manner. 

Club Community Rugby Officers: Darragh Mulcahy (Bruff CCRO), Pat Fitzpatrick (Nenagh CCRO), Trent Reti (Abbeyfeale CCRO), Damien Hicks (Bantry Bay CCRO), Dan O’Sullivan (Killarney CCRO), Leigh Fitzgerald (LIT Rugby Officer), Sean Brosnan (Tralee CCRO), Sean O’Neill (Youghal CCRO), Matt McGrath (Cork), Rebecca O’Reilly (WIT Rugby Officer), Denis Corridan (CIT Rugby Officer), Willie Shubart (Cork), Vincent O’Leary (Cork), Ben Swindlehurst (Clare), Olan Daly (North Cork), Ken Imbusch (Limerick), Matt Brown (Tipperary), Finny O’Regan (Cork), Ross Mannion (Sligo), Chris O’Neill (Ballina), Simon O’Malley (Castlebar/Westport), Craig Hansbury (Ballinrobe/Ballyhaunis/Claremorris), Colm McWeeney (Leitrim/Carrick-on-Shannon), Michéal Glennon (Roscommon/Creggs), Tom Newell (Corrib/Dunmore/Tuam), Matt Henderson (An Ghaeltacht/Oughterard), Jason Walsh (Connemara), Eoghan Maher (NUIG), Morgan Codyre (Galwegians), Dermot Tierney (Gort/Loughrea/Ballinasloe), Peter O’Hara (Monivea), Nicole Purdom (Suttonians), David Hurley (Malahide), Ailsa Hughes (Westmanstown), Ariel Robles (Balbriggan), Colin Caffrey (Coolmine), Jonathan Butler (DLR), John O’Brien (DLSP), Jason Byrne (SDCC), Joey Redmond (SDCC) , Barney Hynes  (Arklow), Aidan Kearney (Wicklow), Noel Devlin (Kilkenny), Larry Canavan (Tullow), Gearoid Dunbar (Carlow), Ross Barbour (Enniscorthy), Michael Bolger (Gorey), Corey Carty (Wexford), Brendan Holohan (New Ross), Noel Cross (Rathdrum), Joel Penders (Greystones), Glen Bagnall (Tullamore), John Burns (Tullamore), Mark Lown (Roscrea), Grainne Vaugh (Edenderry), Denis Rusu (Birr), Clare O’Brien (Mullingar), Niall  Kane (Midland Warriors), Dylan Quinn (Longford), Andy Carabini (Skerries), Shane Mooney (Athboy), Niall Kerley (Dundalk), Ben Traynor (North Meath), Jessica Myles (Ardee), Peter Kerr (Boyne), Kevin McCleery (Ashbourne), Evan Dixon (Navan), Rory Bond (Ratoath), Neil Taylor (Newbridge), Padraig Mahon (Portarlington), Logan Nicholson (Cill Dara), John Munro (Clane), Mick Cahill (Naas), Robbie Waters (North Kildare), Matthew Alborough (MU Barnhall), Rob Mullen (MU Barnhall), Tadhg Kelleher (Athy), Paul Brady (Portlaoise), Harry Doyle (Armagh), Charlie Farrell (Dungannon), Eugene McKenna (Clogher Valley), Rob Watson (Enniskillen), Jon Watt (Virginia), Stephen Irvine (Banbridge), Phil Marshall (Omagh), Jordan Robinson (Portadown), Erin Hodgen (Ards), Stuart Smyth (Ballynahinch), Stephen Montgomery (Bangor), Guy McManus (Donaghadee), Yanis Stephen Graham (Lisburn), Peter Wilson (Limavady), Mark Hermin (Ballymena), Benjy van der Byl (Coleraine), Paul O’Kane (Strabane), Alison McGloughlin (Inishowen), James Doherty (City of Derry), Kevin van Arnholt (Letterkenny), David McClelland (Rainey), Peter Dallas (Larne), Gary Hunter (Carrick), Callum Wilson (Ballyclare), Martin Connolly (Randalstown), Gavin Robinson (Ophir), Mark Green (BHSFP), Callum Smith (Malone).