dunedin
connolly’s
would slowly-but-surely build a team from scratch
and have them compete in Sevens tournaments
and at University blitz events across the country.
This patience would then be rewarded in early
2013 when Damien Holahan took over.
Within a few short months, Holahan’s squad grew
in both numbers and talent and after breaking
the mould by winning the Paidí O’Sé Invitational
tournament, their appetite was whetted and they
went on to lift the All-Britain Junior Championship
the same year. They would even go so far as to
play in the All-Ireland final and despite a defeat on
that particular day, their mark was being made.
This season, the ladies of Dunedin Connolly’s
are playing in the higher-ranking Intermediate AllBritain Championship as well as competing in the
newly formed Scottish league and championship
series. They have already lifted the league this
season and remain in strong pursuit in their
bid to take all the honours that are on offer to
them, recently making it to the final of the British
Championship.
Underage Development:
The youth programme at the club, Dunedin
Og, is arguably the most envied in the country.
Spearheaded by County Chairman, Niall
Considine, the club boasts a large membership of
kids from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and this
has seen the emergence of an underage schools
league being born in and played throughout the
city.
These stars of the future have also been known to
acquit themselves perfectly in other tournaments
and blitz events that are not only confined to
Scotland, but also to London as well as Dublin
where they have also sampled that special Croke
Park atmosphere on club trips away.
Club chairman, Peter Dillon, has overseen much
of the club’s development since he took up the
mantle in 2007. There’s no question that he
has seen great changes for the better, yet he
still remains adamant and focused on attaining
further improvements. With continued growth in
sponsorship and recognition, the aim has been
set to not only remain as the dominant force in
Scotland, but to become one of Britain as well.
Going by the way such solid advances have been
made already on the field, backed the superbly
welcoming family-feel and comrade they show off
it, who would bet against them reaching such a
target in the near future? Definitely, this is a club
to stand up and take note of for both now and the
years to come.
By Jonathan Foley, Dunedin Connolly’s PRO
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ISSUE 02