Tipperary Rugby: Carrick-on-Suir RFC to launch new book marking centenary

A special Centenary Souvenir marking the first 100 years of Carrick-on-Suir Rugby Football Club will be launched at the Carraig Hotel on this Saturday evening, October 7 at 7pm.

The 80-page book, priced €15, features a range of contributions from club members past and present, tracing the highs, lows and in-betweens of the Tybroughney-based outfit’s history.

Detailing the club’s revamp and recovery over the past dozen years, the development of its girls and women’s teams and a range of warm, humour-filled reminisces, the souvenir features over 100 photos, collected over several decades.
“We couldn’t let a year as significant as this pass without producing a publication,” said Centenary Committee member Dermot Fogarty.

“So back in the spring, we cast a wide net when it came to seeking contributors and photos, and as the months rolled by the pieces came rolling in, be they from a few miles out the road to as far away as South Africa and we’re thrilled with the end product”.

Dermot continued: “Dermot Keyes, who has edited the book with great enthusiasm, put a great shape on it from first page to last while Carrick Print has designed a fantastic end product, which we couldn’t be happier with.

“Ken Murphy has a deep file of club-related photographs which he has assembled over several years, the vast majority of which we’ve never previously showcased properly. So to have those shots assembled in the manner we’ve now achieved through this souvenir, full of familiar faces, a great deal of whom sadly are no longer with us, is very satisfying. It’s also important to acknowledge the fantastic support we’ve received from the local business community in terms of support advertising in the book, all of which is deeply appreciated”.

Dermot Keyes, who lined out for Carrick over 12 seasons, was delighted with the opportunity to edit the publication.
“Plenty of long, entertaining chats in The Old Mill helped to get this book across the line,” he said.

Carrick RFC’s 1982 Casey Cup winners. Back row, from left: John Wallace (coach), Louis Dowley, Tommy Ryan, Wayne Booth, Pat Cheasty, Noel Guiry, Kevin Kiersey, Nick Delahunty, Murt Murphy, Bobby Lonergan and Brian Dowley. Middle row, from left: Jim Butler, Paddy Coghlan, Billy Brett, Johnny Drohan, Pat Wall (captain), Lonan Burke, Brian Guiry, Barry Walsh and Anthony Nolan. Front row, from left: Thierry Blacque and Martin Brophy

“The camaraderie among Carrick RFC club members has, for me, always been its greatest strength and I’ve really enjoyed reconnecting with the committee members who have converted this idea into printed reality.

“In rugby terms, we’ve always been a bit of an outlier, featuring players from Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny, as well as a few lads from distant shores along the way, many of whom made huge contributions to the club and who, to this day, still cherish their time with Carrick. The club stems from a distinctively local tradition in a town steeped in sport which, through testing times across several decades, has found a way to survive and thrive. It’s now a club which features male and female teams across several age grades, with booming underage numbers, thankfully, and the future looks very, very bright – all of which feeds into the sense of celebration in this centenary year”.

Said Club President Andy Meaney: “This booklet is the testimony of some of those volunteers and activists, who share their stories, celebrations and memories of being part of the Carrick-on-Suir RFC family. I would like to congratulate the Centenary Committee for its work in bringing to fruition this and the many other projects to celebrate this centenary year”.

Following the launch, the club will host a screening of the crunch Ireland/Scotland Rugby World Cup match in the Carraig Hotel night club, with entry priced at €10 a head. A night packed with 80s disco floor fillers will follow the final whistle in Paris.
It’s €10 (cash only) for the Ireland/Scotland screening at 8pm on October 7, with tickets available at the Carraig Hotel reception and on the door.