| Full name | Bandon Rugby Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | IRFU Munster | |
| Founded | 1882 | |
| Ground(s) | Old Chapel, Bandon | |
| President | Dan Murphy | |
| ||
Bandon Rugby Football Club is an Irish rugby union club. They play in Division 1 of the Munster Junior League.
| Full name | Bandon Rugby Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | IRFU Munster | |
| Founded | 1882 | |
| Ground(s) | Old Chapel, Bandon | |
| President | Dan Murphy | |
| ||
Bandon Rugby Football Club is an Irish rugby union club. They play in Division 1 of the Munster Junior League.
Bandon were playing rugby matches during the 1870s against Montenotte, Waterloo, Queenstown and Cork Bankers. By 1880, regular fixtures were being played against Cork Bankers, Cork County and Queen's University. [1] In 1882, Bandon became affiliated with the Irish Rugby Football Union; for this reason, 1882 is the year the club was 'officially' founded. [2]
In 1886, Bandon were the inaugural winners of the Munster Senior Cup, defeating Limerick club Garryowen in the final, though in the years that followed, Bandon ceased playing competitive rugby matches, playing friendlies instead. Following World War I and the Irish War of Independence, Bandon was re-organised by Jim Neville, a solicitor. In the 1926–27 season, Bandon resumed competitive rugby, playing in the Cork County Cup. In 1928, wearing their new blue and white striped jerseys, Bandon defeated UCC in the final of the Minor Cup, becoming the first club from outside of Cork city to win the cup, and in 1929 they won the O'Neill Cup, defeating Kinsale in the final. [1]
A struggling national economy and emigration meant that Bandon ceased playing rugby altogether by 1937, yet efforts to rebuild the club were successful, with a mixture of old players and youngsters new to the sport rejuvenating the club. At this time, the old Devonshire Arms Hotel was used as a base, and the club also changed its name to Bandon Harlequins. A friendly match against the British Army garrison in Camden Fort Meagher in the summer of 1938 was possibly the last rugby match played in Ireland between 'natives' and British soldiers, before the British left a few weeks later. Rugby was somewhat suspended during World War II due to the lack of petrol, but play resumed in 1946, with Bandon dropping Harlequins from its name. In 1952, Bandon won further O'Neill and County Cups, and in 1956 the club went on its first tour, playing Dublin side Old Wesley. [1]
In 1963, Bandon again completed an O'Neill and County Cup double, and in 1968 they reached the final of the Munster Junior Cup for the first time, losing to Highfield. During 1972–77, Bandon had the most successful junior side in Cork. The O'Neill Cup was won for five successive season, the Quinlan Cup was won on four occasion's and, in the 1974–75 season, Bandon earned itself the title "Kings of the County" after winning the O'Neill, Quinlan and County Cups. They repeated the feat in 1980–81. In 1982, the club's centenary, they began playing at a new sports complex, Old Chapel. [1]
Bandon now compete in the Munster Junior League. They won the league during the 1992–93 season, but since then have bounced between divisions 1 and 2. [3] In 2013, Bandon's under-19s won an All-Ireland Cup, whilst in 2017 the club won its first Munster Junior Cup, defeating Young Munster 27–14 in the final. [4] This success came just one year after French coach Régis Sonnes had joined Bandon on a two-year contract from Bordeaux. [3]
Sonnes, who played for Toulouse, Brive and Agen during his career, also coached at Bandon Grammar School, having started his coaching career with Agen before moving to Narbonne, CRC Madrid and the Spanish national team. [3] Following on from the Junior Cup success in 2017, Bandon won the Munster Junior League Division 1 title in 2018. [5]
The club currently has around 350 players and 65 coaches on the books, and has various underage teams and a growing women's team. The club experienced tragedy in January 2020, when member Cameron Blair was murdered. [6] [7]
Shannon Rugby Football Club is the most successful club in the All Ireland League, having won the competition nine times. They hail from Limerick near the banks of the Shannon river. Shannon RFC is a member of the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch. The club is one of the top amateur sides in Ireland has seen many of its players progress to professional and international rugby. The 1st XV plays in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League. While the women's side compete in Division 1 of the Munster League. Shannon RFC fields underage teams for boys and girls from u6s - u20s. Shannon RFC made history in 2017 as being the first club in the country to field a girls u20s side.
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Ballinhassig is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Ballinhassig in County Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club was founded in 1886, and now plays Hurling at Premier Intermediate level, having won the Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship in 2005, and the Cork Junior Hurling Championship in 2002.
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Meelin GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club is based in Meelin, Cork, Ireland and is part of the Rockchapel and Meelin parish. The club is affiliated with the Duhallow division of Cork GAA and has both a hurling and a Gaelic football team. Until recently, the club did not have a Gaelic football team within the football area represented by Knockscovane GAA Club, which took part in Duhallow division until its amalgamation with Meelin GAA club. Meelin juvenile footballers play with St. Peter's which is an amalgamation of the Meelin, Freemount and Rockchapel clubs at juvenile level. In 2009 Meelin won the Duhallow Junior A Hurling Championship for the first time in 13 years. In 2010, they followed this up with consecutive titles defeating Kilbrin in 2010. This was the start of the club's resurgence that led them to the All-Ireland Junior Final in Croke Park. Meelin won the final with a final score of 0–12 to 1–5 over John Locke's of Kilkenny.
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