Ashbourne RFC
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| Union | IRFU Leinster | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Ash | |
| Founded | 1974 | |
| Ground(s) | Milltown House | |
| President | Aidan Gleeson | |
| Coach(es) | Head Coach: Ham, Backs Coach: backwards crotts, Forwards Coach: Joey Szpara; Scrum Coach: David Duff | |
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Ashbourne RFC is an Irish rugby team based in Ashbourne, County Meath, playing in Division 1A of the Leinster League. The club colours are black and amber.
The club's ground at Milltown, Ashbourne, County Meath has hosted Ireland women's national rugby union team international matches from 2009 to 2013. Ireland won their only 6 nations grand slam in 2013 based out of Ashbourne and the club is very proud of that connection.
Ashbourne RFC is a relatively new club entering its 50th season in 2024/2025, especially when placed beside our hosts today at Co Carlow FC, but the club has embraced the Provincial Towns Cup and the prestige that follows the cup since it joined the North East Area in 1998. This was also the clubs first season in the cup, and it made the final in Mullingar RFC when we lost to our North East neighbours Navan RFC by 18 points to 10. This left the club with desire to take the cup back to Milltown House, but we had to wait!
The first meeting of the club was held in March 1974 when 8 men met to establish a club in Ashbourne. They used a local farmers field and played their first games in the 74/75 season, initially joining the Metro Area. The club progressed through the ranks for J4 to J2 when in 78/79 season the club won the O’Connell Cup, which was the first time a non-senior club had won it and possibly still is the case! The local GP played in that game who happened to be ex: Ireland prop Dr. Al Moroney, who the club claimed as its first International. A penalty from Alec Smith saw us home in a 3 point to nil over St. Mary’s RFC, the clubs first silverware.
The club progressed over the years developing a strong underage section and a key milestone was the opening of our current home at Milltown House in September 1987, which has seen the club kick on since. The club expanded the grounds a few years ago and now has 3 natural all weather pitches and a 4G pitch, all flood lite, along with a clubhouse, gym, and other amenities on site. The club hosted the Women’s 6 nations games for 5 seasons and was very much part of the great women’s team led by Fiona Coughlan who won the 6 Nations in 2013, with the wins in Ashbourne over England and France a key part of their success.
The recent history of Ashbourne RFC has seen some success from when in 2003/2004 our women’s side bet Blackrock in an All-Ireland final; in 2005/2006 our men’s 2nds won Towns Cup plate and then 2006/2007 season our 1st XV led by Dermot Grimes won the league with a clean sweep in their league with momentum building culminating with promotion to Leinster League Div. 1B in 2010/2011.
2013/2014 was a notable season in Ashbourne’s club history. The club won promotion to Div. 1A and its first Provincial Towns Cup and in the process staying unbeaten. The 2nd XV won their Provincial Towns Cup while the 3rd XV won the North East’s McGee Cup. A remarkable season!
The Towns Cup final was hosted by todays opposition Tullow, and it was a tight win over Kilkenny after extra time winning by a score of 6 points 3. It was not the best of games as the conditions were wet and windy, but Ashbourne’s name was on the cup.
Success continued at the club over the next few years. Pride in place goes the 3 in a row success the club has in the All-Ireland Junior Cup, and it is the first club in Ireland to achieve this status. This was a great achievement for the club and for the squad. The finals won were as follows:
· 2017 – Ashbourne 22 Enniscorthy 20, Energia Park
· 2018 – Ashbourne 18 Kilfeacle & District 9, Portlaoise RFC
· 2019 – Ashbourne 16 Enniscorthy 11, Edenderry RFC
The club also won the Leinster League 1A in 2017/2018 but learnt a lot in an unsuccessful run in the Round Robin. It repeated the success in 2020 with the league success but Covid intervened so there was no opportunity for promotion. In this period Ashbourne were invited to play in the Spencer Memorial Cup which it won twice, a feat that it did not achieve when in the Metro area as well as McGowan and Jenkinson cups in the North East.
With the resumption of the Provincial Towns Cup Ashbourne made its 3rd final appearance when Kilkenny exacted their revenge for the loss in 2014. This season is the clubs 4th appearance in a final and following a challenging season where the club lost a promotion/relegation game to a good Athy side it is a welcome boost at the end of the season.
In recent seasons the club has launched a women’s team led by another former Irish International, Judy Bobbett, whose grandfather, Pat (RIP), was there since the beginning of the club. The clubs has also worked with neighbours Balbriggan RFC to develop girls rugby with great success for both clubs and this where is important to focus on developing the girls game so that adult rugby will thrive. As Leinster say, ‘From the Ground Up’. The club is also fortunate to have Tom O’Toole of Ulster in our ranks, who started his career at Ashbourne in the mini section. He wore the club socks in the recent games where players identified with their clubs.
The club loves the ethos of the cup as well as the Plate, having won the Plate last season (4 wins out of 5 appearances in the Plate final – won in 2001,2015, 2016 and 2023; lost in 2011).
Playing the Provincial Towns Cup is a must for the club and just like Tullow, it a key part of the season.
The Ashbourne motto is the rugby is about your community, your club and your future and Ashbourne RFC is very much from the ground up.