Welcome Message from Club President, Paul Brophy

Introduction

I am delighted and honoured to have been elected as your Club President for the 2026/2027 season. I hope everyone had an enjoyable Summer and are looking forward to the new season with much anticipation.

Executive Committee

A huge call out to our Executive and the extraordinary work they are doing driving this Great Club ahead, both on and off the pitch. We extend a warm welcome to the Executive’s new members David Corrigan, as incoming Hon Treasurer, and Peter Quinn, as incoming Vice President, and we wish them well for the year ahead. We thank our outgoing president, Mick Dwan, for the enormous work he undertook, and professionalism and finesse he brought to bear, on behalf of the Club last year and we are delighted to hear that he is staying on the Committee for the 2026/2027 Season. The Executive continue to drive exciting new initiatives to develop and improve the playing and clubhouse facilities to attract more players and supporters to Stradbrook.

Administration

Best of luck to our Facilities Manager, Conor Cleary, and Administrator, Erin Dalton, who continue to do a tremendous job.

A reminder to please pay your sub now using the club's new ClubZap app which also gives you access to all club news, fixtures and results.

Club Captains

Best of luck to our Senior Men’s Captain, Roy Whelan, and Vice-Captain, James Burke, and our Senior Women’s Captain, Hannah O’Connor, and Vice-Captain, Maeve Óg O'Leary, for the upcoming season.

Men's Rugby

There has been a huge amount of activity on the rugby front over the Summer months led by our Director of Rugby, Mick Hearty. Whilst we have lost some great servants of Blackrock to retirement including our legendary Centurians John Colclough, David Fortune, Paul McSweeney and Joe Byrne and whilst some players have moved on, there has been a huge influx of new players. We wish all current and former players well.

The Senior Men’s Squad had an Activity and Team Building Day on August 8th followed by food & beverages which was a great way for all the new players to get involved! On the 15th August the Senior Men’s Squad had a great 38-36 win against Terenure in Lakelands which demonstrated the quality and depth of our player base. 50 players played at various stages during the innovative match structure which divided the game into four 20 minute quarters.

We welcome our new Head Coach, Luke Hickey, and our new Assistant Coaches, Declan Fassbender, Richie Allen and Ian Madigan, and wish them all well for the year ahead. All are proven match winners and can develop on the steel foundation left by their predecessor, James Blaney, who leaves a great legacy.

Barcelona Tour

A key focal point of Head Coach Luke Hickey’s focused pre-season training plan was to hold a highly professional, acutely focused pre-season training camp abroad and to set that as a recurring part of pre-season prep annually. With the enormous help of George Hook Junior from Irish Rugby Tours, a superb high performance training centre in Barcelona was chosen and a dedicated working group of senior players and managers have been working hard to coordinate all elements of the 5 days. So on 2nd September, 50 players, (26 existing, returning players plus 24 new additions this year!) and a 10 person support crew will travel to Barcelona.

The timing was planned to allow for optimising intensity after hopefully three great games already under the belt (Terenure friendly away held on Sat, Aug 15th; Leinster Senior League fixtures then following fast v MU Barbhall on Aug 22nd at home and against Wanderers on Friday, August 28th, away). On our return on Sep 6th, further preparation matches will be played before the Energia AIL season starts against MU Barnhall on Saturday Sep 26th. Here’s hoping for a great season ahead after what has been an exceptional start in pre-season participation, intensity and team building so far.

The men’s J1’s commence their season at home tomorrow against Barnhall at 3.30pm and on the 29th August play Bective Rangers at home.

Castle XV – Bristol Tourists

Frampton RFC – an established fifty years old English Rugby Club full of tradition chose Dublin for their early season tour and were introduced by AJ McGinty to Blackrock College RFC. AJ lives in the town where he is highly respected for his rugby talent with Bristol Bears and USA.

The visitors won a really good rugby match where the Castle XV put up a great showing. Peter Quirke and Dave Fortune togged out for Rock and demonstrated that true class and talent lasts forever and they gave a great lesson to their youthful colleagues.

The Club put out a great welcome and albeit the grass is burnt, our visitors were full of praise for the pitch in August and for the show put on by the club. Rugby touring pranks and celebrations were all in evidence post-match and at the session in the bar. Mark MacGinty coached the team on the night and should be well pleased with hosting AJ's local team. There is no doubt Blackrock would be welcome in Frampton in the future.

Home & Away Support 

We look forward to seeing big numbers out supporting all our teams during the season. The players need our support. For home lunches book in advance with Conor, Erin, Larry Macken, Dec Conway or Paul Brophy.

For away matches book now with Arthur Fitzpatrick, Dec Conway or Paul Brophy.

Womens’ Rugby

The Women’s 1st XV start their AIL campaign on 10th October at 1.30pm in Stradbrook vs Wicklow.

Congratulations to our four Rock Provincial Captains Maeve Óg O’Leary, Aoibheann Reilly, Sarah Delaney and India Daley. What a great honour for Blackrock College RFC to have all 4 Provincial captains from our Club. Also congratulations to all our other Blackrock women players who have gained representative honours in the current Provincial Series Andi Murphy, Ellen Boylan, Emily Lane, Meabh Deely, Beibhinn Parsons, Alanna Fitzpatrick, Ava Fannin, Abby Moyles ,Ella Durkan, Kathy Baker, Kate Jordan, Nikki Gibson, Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair, Regan Casey, Maggie Boyle and Cara Martin. What a great honour for Blackrock College RFC to have so many women players representing Blackrock at interprovincial level.

Women's French Tour

Preseason is well underway and good luck to our 30 women players and Management travelling to France on the Tour 1st-5th September as guests to play Blagnac RFC.

Minis / Youths

A special call out and thank you to the head coaches and lead volunteers for each of the youth teams - this year we are hoping to field teams at U13, U14, U15, U16 and U17 age groups for the boys, and to contribute even more girls to the amalgamated teams at U12, U14 and U16 levels. There will be a huge buzz about Stradbrook when the minis commence their training on Sunday, the 6th September.

Sponsors

A special thanks to our sponsors and benefactors. The club could not survive without our sponsors and for this we are truly grateful.

Yours in rugby,

Paul Brophy

President,Blackrock College RFC 2026/27