Westmanstown / Garda Rugby Break New Ground

Westmanstown/Garda Rugby broke new ground last week with the setting up of a rugby partnership with Castleknock Community School. It will start with coaching staff from Westmanstown Garda RFC visiting the school every Wednesday and with the help of school staff will put the rugby players through their paces and up skill the new players. At the moment there are 20 children in 1^st year rugby, 25 in Junior cup and 25 in Senior cup teams. The School play rugby in the Development School’s cup and have a good record but it is now hoped to take a step up to a higher level. All the school’s home matches will be played at the Westmanstown Sports and Recreation grounds in Clonsilla which is home to the rugby club

The President of Westmanstown / Garda RFC Alfie Acheson said “this is an exciting time for the our club and we would look at the school providing players for our junior and senior sides over the coming years and perhaps even new members to the Garda Siochana. I would like to thank Darren Breathnach for his help in putting this together. Darren a former pupil of the school said that sport is a great help in the development of young people both boys and girls and would hope this would be a long term partnership.” At the moment Westmanstown / Garda RFC have a thriving mini section with teams from ages of 6 to 13 and now it would be hoped to field teams at 14 and 16 years of age with the help of Castleknock. It also fields men’s and women’s adult teams.

I would also like to acknowledge the help of the Leinster Branch and their staff Dan Van Zyl and Ger Mc Cleery in assisting with this partnership.

Over the next few weeks it is hoped to start a similar partnership with other schools in the area as we see Westmanstown / Garda RFC as a community club and would welcome all who would like to join the club to play rugby.