A new dawn for Thurles RFC as new training pitches are officially opened

“The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and the willingness to work for them”. Michelle Obama.

When the large format image of the newly acquired grounds and attendant plans for their enhancement flashed up on the big screen at the recent Awards Night, there was an audible gasp of wonder and admiration.

The extremely hard working and driven committee and members of Thurles RFC had their far-reaching dream and were more than willing to work to realise it; the proud old club had finally come of age; it was now the proud owner of two new playing and training pitches with provision for heavy winter time scrum practice in order to save the pitch surface, all surrounded by a very pleasant walk way.

From its infancy in the 1920s and a rather peripatetic existence there have been many proud milestones in the club’s off-field activities the most noteworthy of which were the seminal move from “Skehan’s Field” to the current grounds in Loughtagalla in 1964, the opening of the dressing rooms in 1971, the building of the Pavilion in 1975 and the installation of a match grade floodlight system, all driven by the pioneers of their time; but few will argue that there is nothing in the history of Thurles RFC to match the acquisition of this land and the gargantuan effort it took to achieve it.

The great French philosopher, aphorist and writer Nicolas Chamfort once exclaimed that
“Those who were reasonable survived; Those who were passionate have lived”

The committee and club members who brought this project to fruition were passionate and have lived; they stoically trod the torturous road of a protracted, complicated and virtually quotidian process negotiating the many bends, potholes and twists with skill, patience and epic endurance often mitigating confounded expectations with a resolute cheeriness.

But no effort at the negotiation table could be successful without the financial good standing required to put the club in funds to consolidate the deal. Club members and friends will now, and in the future, owe a great debt to the men and women who gave their all so selflessly to ensure that the club would be in financial good standing so that this deal could be brought to a successful conclusion.

Club president Michael Guinan was blessed with the quality and commitment of those who supported him in this project; few ever see or are aware of the amount of work involved in running a very successful “Split the Bucket” campaign (with prizes regularly reaching €2000 )-the distribution and collection and the giving of precious Sunday night time before the TV to the holding of draws in the many retail outlets and bars who so generously welcomed the funds drive into their premises.

The names of Ber Irwin, Dynan Sweeney, Mairead Irwin, Brian Scanlon, Michael Fielding, Janet Bourke, Jane Ryan, Greg Rafter and JJ Fitzgerald will be remembered in years to come by the generations which will benefit.

Valuable advice and support were provided by Jackie Cahill T.D. and Councillor Jim Ryan
Nothing is more affirming, swells the heart with pride or heightens the mood like the sight of a large grounds committee rallying round the flag in a scene worthy of the era of the Meitheal.

Constantly stepping up when required and giving of their valuable time, skill and in many cases valuable plant are Martin Shanahan’s team of stalwarts Michael “Hally” O’Halloran, Jim Norris, Padraig “Spock” Corbett, Robert O’Connell, Liam Bannon, Jack Lloyd, Pat and Ger Boyle, Mark and Jim Cummins, Michael Holohan, JD and TJ Carroll along with Michael Fielding to prepare the new grounds for combat, and to return the main “front” pitch to it’s usual pristine condition.

On Friday evening last, Thurles RFC welcomed a large crowd of current and past players, members and friends of Thurles RFC, to Loughtagalla to officially bless the land and join with the club at the official opening of the new grounds. Along with some invited guests and local dignitaries, we welcomed Munster and Ireland Legend, Brendan Foley ( pictured above with Ber Irwin)  back to the club, where he recalled scoring in the corner at the clubhouse end to win the game for St Marys RFC against Thurles “many moons ago”.

We’d like to say a massive thank you also to all our helpers and sponsors on the night, to Ciara, Bill & Lucy O Dwyer, for the delicious sandwiches, to Ceire Irwin and Kathy Langley for the brilliant face painting, to Siobhan Holohan for the lovely cakes, to Naomi and her team at Naomi’s Café for the fab food platters, Borrisoleigh Bottling Company for the Water and refreshments, to Michael Hally Halloran at Bounce Around for the Super Bouncy Castles, to Liam Campion for the delicious hot food, and of course thanks to FR Joe Walsh for blessing the land

So come one; come all; Thurles RFC is open for business.
A rather apocryphal story tells that when Barrack Obama entered the White House he erected a sign near the fountain which read “Please don’t walk on the water!!!”, Now that his presidency has ended, he will have no further use for it; perhaps Brian could use it!!!!;