Carrick-on-Shannon RFC honoured with Leitrim County Award in Texaco Sports Initiative

Carrick-on-Shannon RFC has been named the winner of the Leitrim County award in this year's Texaco Support for Sport initiative.

€5000 has been presented to the club to fund goal posts and padding, which will take pride of place at the Club’s new playing area once development finishes.

With over 400 members and close to 40 volunteer coaches, Carrick-on-Shannon RFC is a rugby club that continues to go from strength to strength. 

In addition to its senior men’s team, the club has representative teams at all boy’s youth age groups, and this season also saw the addition of its first girl’s youth team, at under 16 level.

Previous Leitrim winners were St. Patrick’s GAA Club, Dromahair (2021), Carrick-on-Shannon Rowing Club (2022), and Carrick Town FC (2023).

The Texaco Support for Sport initiative is organised by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited, the company responsible for marketing fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand. 

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The initiative sees a fund of €130,000 set aside annually for allocation in equal amounts of €5,000 to successful applicants chosen on a county-by-county basis.  

Congratulating the winners on what he termed ‘the invaluable contribution that sports clubs make to the heart of community life in Ireland’, James Twohig, Director of Ireland Operations, Valero Energy Limited praised the work of club officials and volunteers.

“Since its inception, in excess of €500,000 has been distributed to a variety of more than 100 sports clubs under the Texaco Support for Sport initiative,” Mr Twohig said.

Overseeing the judging process was Texaco Support for Sport ambassador, former Irish rugby international and well-known broadcaster, Donncha O’Callaghan.

“As adjudicator, the most heartening aspect of the Texaco Support for Sport initiative is the benefit it brings to Irish sports clubs by providing rare access to funds which are not linked to the popularity, membership size or success of any given club,” Mr O’Callaghan commented.

“Carrick-on-Shannon RFC is to be commended for its commitment to sport and to its local community. 

“A rugby club set up to do exactly what the game is about, bringing people together and focusing on participation and fun. 

“I’m looking forward to seeing the next Beibhinn Parsons or Bundee Aki togging out in the green of Connacht and Ireland in years to come,” he concluded.

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Entries for the 2025 Texaco Support for Sport initiative will open in the Autumn for all clubs, including those whose application may have been unsuccessful previously.