Tom McKeown It is a great honour for me to be named captain of MU Barnhall RFC for the 2015-16 season. It is a privilege and a role I am looking forward to.

The 2014-15 season was a transitional period with a lot of youthful promising players joining the 1st and 2nd team squads. We hope we can recapture the form of recent seasons and begin on an upward curve once again.

In what is a new coaching team (led by Dean Hakaraia) for both first and second XV’s I wish them the very best and both myself and the rest of the playing squad will be giving all we have to ensure a successful season for them and for our great club.

In the same breath, I want to express my immense gratitude to Dennis Bowes for his tireless work as head coach over the past number of seasons in what was a very successful period for our rugby club. I wish Denis the very best in his role combining the Rugby programme at Maynooth University with our club’s under 20’s side.

The players of all teams are very proud of the clubs magnificent facilities and in particular our outstanding pitches. We are all very thankful to Christy Dunne and his ground staff for ensuring top class playing surfaces on a weekly basis.

Our fantastic club is made by it’s great members and volunteers from mini to youth and through our under 20’s, women and 5 male teams. However, our sponsors are the people who contribute to all of us being a progressive rugby club with fantastic infrastructure and facilities. Without our sponsors we simply couldn’t exist so from every player and member we cannot thank you enough. We hope you will continue to support your local rugby club for many years to come.

One of the key components of a rugby club is its volunteers. From team coaches/managers/administrators the list goes on. No matter what team you are supporting or what role you fulfil I would like to thank you for progressing our club and giving players the best experience possible.

To all teams representing the blue of MU Barnhall RFC this coming season I wish you the very best of luck. I wish all our mini and youth teams (boys and girls) an enjoyable season, our under 20’s, women’s, our 4 men’s teams competing in the metro divisions and our Ulster Bank League team. I would also like to extend a special mention to our Barnhall Buffaloes team who bring disability rugby to Parsonstown. I wish you all a fantastic season. It is a real achievement to field teams at all levels so well done to all.

I reserve special praise to our Director of Rugby Eddie Fitzgerald who works tirelessly in all capacities for our club and also to our mini and youth co-ordinators Michael Waldron and George Furlong respectively. Good luck to all club members and volunteers for the 2015-16 season and I wish every single player who wears the blue jersey all the best.

Finally, I wish Eugene Charles the best in his role as President of MU Barnhall RFC for this season. I hope it’s a successful one for all teams and from my perspective, myself and the first team squad will be giving everything and we hope to see you all up in our club during the year.

C’mon The Blue

yours in Rugby

Tom McKeown

MU Barnhall RFC Captain 2015-16