Following a very impressive Energia All-Ireland League debut, which saw them claim six wins and a draw, Gareth O'Hanlon's Ennis side are hoping to make even more of an impact in 2026/27.
Saturday week's trip to Cooke, their opening round fixture in the new Women's Division 1B, has been on their minds even since the season's schedule was confirmed in June.
Ennis have strengthened their squad with some key signings over the summer, and a big name in the Women's game - and a proud Clare woman to boot - is now part of their coaching set-up.
Edel McMahon underwent surgery on both knees after last year's Rugby World Cup, ruling her out of Ireland's immediate plans, and leaving her unable to play again for Exeter Chiefs before her departure from the club in the summer.
Collaborating with her was too big an opportunity for O'Hanlon to pass up, as the former Ireland co-captain gains coaching experience while imparting years of knowledge to this ambitious Ennis group.
"I had a great chat with Edel about what we’re trying to build at Ennis, and she was extremely eager to get involved," said the Ennis head coach.
"For us, when someone of Edel's experience wants to be part of the programme, it is obviously something you're going to be really excited about.
"She is mainly helping us with our forwards and our defence. We already have a really good coaching group in place, so it's about adding her knowledge and experience to that and giving our players another really strong person to learn from."
The newly-appointed Ennis defence coach previously played in the All-Ireland League with Galwegians, getting capped for Connacht and Ireland in that time before signing for English club Wasps in 2019.
The 32-year-old is being proactive in adding another string to her bow in terms of coaching, while also trying to get herself back in the green jersey as soon as she can.
Her most recent appearance was in the World Cup pool defeat to New Zealand, just over a year ago, and it is clear that she is fiercely determined to resume an Ireland career that has amassed 36 caps so far.
O'Hanlon commented: "Edel's goal is obviously to get back playing with Ireland. That is the level she is at, and she’s working extremely hard to get back there after two major operations.
"I think that alone shows the resilience and determination she has. Her own rugby and getting herself back playing at the highest level has to be the priority.
"We completely understand that her availability with us, at Ennis, will depend on her own playing and representative commitments.
"We're delighted to have her involved whenever she can be, and we'll support her completely in getting back to where she wants to be as a player."
Hailing from the village of Kilmihil, just a half-an-hour's drive from Ennis, McMahon bolsters a coaching team that already includes forwards coach Alex Simpson, strength & conditioning coach Chloe Morey, and John Kelly as team manager.
An exciting aspect of her coaching duties will be the potential influence she can have on some of the younger Ennis players, most notably fellow back rower Sally Kelly.
The 19-year-old Kelly made eight All-Ireland League appearances for the County Clare club last season, going on to star for the Ireland Under-21s, and most recently win a second successive Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship with Munster.
The prodigious flanker had a 'brilliant campaign with Munster', according to O'Hanlon who is hoping she can 'bring that experience and confidence back into our environment and continue developing herself'.
With more emerging talent in the pipline down Drumbiggle Road way, he admitted: "What makes it even more special is that so many of our girls, particularly the Clare girls, have grown up looking up to Edel.
"Now they're going to have the opportunity to be coached by her and learn from one of the very best. We couldn't ask for a better role model for the girls.
"She's the ultimate professional in how she approaches the game, how she prepares and the standards she sets for herself.
"Even looking at what she has been through with injuries and two major operations, and seeing how hard she is working to get back to the highest level, tells you everything about her character.
"It is not just what Edel can teach them about forwards play or defence - it's the opportunity to learn what it actually takes to perform at the very top of the game."
He continued: "We're really happy with the overall coaching team we’re building as well. Alex spent some time with Munster over the summer, Chloe is back as our S&C coach and has been excellent for us.
"Michelle Caulfield has come in as our mental performance coach. We feel we're building an excellent team around the players, and it shows the ambition within Ennis RFC to continue developing the Women's programme."
On the playing front, Takiah-Lani Buchanan, a four-code international representative for the Philippines, and Caitlyn Ah Fook, who has captained Samoa in international touch rugby, are two interesting newcomers.
Promising teenage prop Ella Buckley, who has made the move from Ballincollig and earned a Munster senior call-up in the summer, is one to watch, along with her Ireland Under-18 team-mate, Abi Kelly, who steps up from the Ennis underage pathway.
O'Hanlon is admittedly 'hugely excited' about what his current crop of players, including recent Connacht debutant Lyndsay Clarke, can achieve, as the environment the club has created is attracting women from other sporting backgrounds as well as giving their underage starlets a route straight to senior rugby.
"We've brought in two players from Australia in Takiah-Lani and Caitlyn. They bring different experiences and ideas, and a different rugby culture into the group.
"For players to be willing to travel from the other side of the world to become part of what we're building in Ennis is something we are really proud of.
"At the same time, recruitment can't be our only focus. Bringing our own underage players through and creating a genuine pathway into senior rugby is hugely important.
"We want a young girl playing underage rugby with Ennis to be able to see exactly where that pathway can take her."
Another really positive development for Ennis is the fact that they will have a second Women's team this season. O'Hanlon says it will be important for providing game-time, and also ensuring a 'better pathway for the growth of players who are new to the game'.
The new two-tier Women's All-Ireland League structure has Ennis in Division 1B along with the likes of Munster rivals Ballincollig, and newly-promoted clubs MU Barnhall and Enniskillen.
Seventh place finishers in last season's 10-team league, they are in Belfast first up to face Cooke, before entertaining Barnhall, the Energia Junior Cup four-in-a-row champions, in their first home match.
"We probably couldn't have been handed a much more difficult opening fixture than Cooke away. They're an excellent side, and travelling to Belfast for your first league game is always going to be a big challenge.
"The new teams coming into the league are going to be good as well. There are no easy games at this level, and I think it's going to be a really competitive league this season."
O'Hanlon added: "We learned a huge amount from our first year in the AIL. It's a very difficult league and we know how competitive it is, so we're not going to get carried away looking too far ahead.
"We want to keep building the programme and improving as a team. We'll take it game by game and see where that takes us."
