Towns Cup Final-Kilkenny Rugby Club looking to add to proud history

Kilkenny Rugby Club was founded in 1886 by the kind permission of the most noble, Marquis of Ormonde.

Up until 1794 the club was located at St James Park, better known today as Kilkenny Greyhound stadium, on the Freshford Road part of the city. Since 1974 the club has been located at its current home in Foulkstown.

The move from St James Park was led by a cohort of loyal club members including the late Frank Brickell, Billy Brett, Danny McEvoy and many many more.

Despite being a county known for its success in Croke Park, there is a vibrant rugby tradition in Kilkenny. Despite this Kilkenny is the only Leinster county not to have a public school competing in post-primary competitions. Kilkenny RFC is the only rugby club in the county and caters for the entire catchment area of approximately 90,000 people. This brings many capacity and operational challenges, however enables the club to function with high participation levels. The club has a vibrant minis section, with 12 teams, serving boys and girls from under-6 up to under-12.

Under the watchful eye of a proactive and progressive youth committee the club has a strong youth section. Schoolboys sides are fielded at under-13/15, under-15/16 and under-17/18. A recent success has been the introduction of schoolgirls youth sides - the 2019/2020 season saw significant milestones achieved with the club fielding under-14, under-16 and under-18 boys and girls sides on the same day. This was achieved by the incredible and tireless work of Gary Brickell, Peter Harte, Mags Hennessey, Marie Louise Broadie and Derek Lawler. On an adult level Kilkenny fields J1, J2 and J3 men’s side and a J1 women’s team.

Kilkenny have a strong history in producing internationally capped players - many believe that Kilkenny leads the way in junior rugby for producing international players. In all the club has produced nine Irish capped internationals, Jack Notley, Willie Duggan, Ned Byrne, Ronan Kearney, Gary Halpin, Gabriel Fulcher, Caroline Mahon, Ian Dowling and Fergus McFadden who, while his father was based in James Stephens army barracks, started his rugby days with Kilkenny before moving to Kildare.

In the mid 2000s Irish and Munster legend and Lions tourist Mick Galwey and Leinster and Irish A stalwart Chris Pim both played for Kilkenny. Both now reside in Kilkenny and are frequent visitors to Foulkstown. Willie Duggan toured with the Lions to New Zealand in 1977, scoring the Lions only try on the second test. The club is now officially recognised by Lions Rugby as an official club of origin.

Additionally, the club has had a number of tier two and three internationals don the black jersey, including Toby Messiner (Austria), current first XV player Liam Caddy (Trinidad & Tobago) while club legend Brian Desmond captained Bermuda on many occasions.

Past club captain and winner of two Towns Cup medals, Pat Holden represented Leinster in the early years of the Heineken Cup. Pat was the only member of the Leinster pack that contained Malcolm O’Kelly, Trevor Brennan, Victor Costello, Reggie Corrigan and Shane Byrne.

Another past club captain, James Coady, represented Ireland at both schools and under-20 after leaving the Leinster academy in 2007, the hooker played with the club for four seasons before returning to senior rugby with Lansdowne. Former youth player Tim Corkery was a regular squad member for Leinster A, picking up full Leinster caps in 2021. Tim currently plays in AIL Div1A with UCD. Another past youth player, Peter Leydon has played with Stade Francais, London Scottish, Ealing Trailfinders and currently playing in the D2 with French outfit Rouen Ruby from Normandy.

Peter recently picked up his first international cap with the Netherlands, who he qualifies for through his Dutch mother. Martin Mulhall, who currently plays Gallaghers Premiership with Bristol Bears, also started his rugby career with the club.

A host of Kilkenny produced players are scattered around the AIL with Conan Dunne (Lansdowne) Aiden McDonald (Cashel) Anthony Ryan (Dublin University), Ruben and Sam Pim (Old Wesley) all doing very well with their respective clubs.

Having reached the Towns Cup final on 13 previous occasions, Kilkenny have had a love-hate relationship with the competition.
Considered as the holy grail, the club has lifted the silverware on six occasions. Recent appearances saw the club lose back to back finals in 2014 and 2015, the scars of these losses still run deep with the club as many feel both games were there for the taking.

Though the wounds of the disappointing 2022/23 league cut deep for the club, the run to the Towns Cup final has given the club room for hope. It is recognised that adult men’s rugby within the club now enters a stage of rebuilding, but with a vibrant youths set up and a host of players are expected to begin taking the step up to J1 and J2 rugby with the club in the coming years.

This offers significant hope that the club can make a prompt return to Division 1A, but not without a united effort and collaborative approach to ensure standards are maintained and that the club continues to continuously improve into the future.
The club members would like to express their gratitude to Dave Matthews, whose term as president ends this May. Despite his initial two years in office hindered by the Covid pandemic, Dave has presided over a significant period of improvement at Foulkstown. A new dressing room and gym complex has been completed, with several other improvement projects have also been delivered, including new pitch fencing, scoreboard, upgrades to the car park and clubhouse.

The club would like to recognise and remember all club members who passed away during the season and acknowledge past President and club administrator, Ray Pembroke snr, who passed away in December 2022. Ray’s contribution to rugby in Kilkenny was significant, creating the blueprint for the club’s successes over the last 25 years. His presence and involvement will be missed by the club.