Rugby Club Issue 54 | Page 110

KILKENNY FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/RUGBYCLUBMAG Kilkenny K ilkenny RFC is based at Foulkstown on Waterford Road and their first team currently competes in Division 1B of the Leinster League. They are led by the team of President Gary Brickell and Chairman John Kenna and the club is looking to progress under their guidance. Over the years the club has put together a history of which they have every right to be proud with the earliest mention coming in 1886. It is believed that there may have been rugby played before this date as well. Since Kilkenny was first established they have played an important role in their community and con tinue to do so to this day. They have experienced plenty of success over the years, particularly in the Provincial Towns Cup which they won on five occasions between 1955 and 2002. Following on from their first triumph in 1955 they took the trophy again in 1959. They then had to wait 27 years before taking the Cup again 1986. Since the turn of the Millennium they have won it twice more with further victories in 2001 and 2002. This was a particularly prosperous time for the club as they also claimed Leinster League titles in 2002 and 2003. The current group of players will be keen to add to their proud history over the coming years. A particular reason for the club to be positive about their future is the superb youth section that they have in place. This part of the club looks to provide young players from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. It is important for any club looking to be successful over a sustained period of time to be able to produce their own talent, particularly in the current financial climate and this is an area that they appear to have covered. It will certainly be exciting to see how their juniors can develop over the coming years as they look to make the successful transition into senior level rugby. Kilkenny is clearly a club that is committed to providing as many people as possible in their local community with a chance to get involved in the game and this is further reflected by the Ladies team that they run. This team has been running for around five years and has made great strides since first being established. Having climbed the leagues at a rapid pace they have demonstrated the great potential that they have and will be confident of continuing to progress. They are always keen to welcome new players regardless of experience levels and will make sure that they are provided with a warm welcome. Kilkenny is a club that has achieved a tremendous amount during their existence and they are clearly a progressive, forward thinking establishment. Hopefully they will be able to keep up the good work for many years to come and everyone at Rugby Club Magazine would like to wish them the best of luck for the future. We are a very proud sponsor of Kilkenny’s Rugby Football Club. Congratulations on the great season and the DIV1B Leinster League title. Good luck for next season and here’s to the future success of the club. 110 Issue 54