St Senans RFC

Founded 1974

Co. Clare

Club History

Birth of a team

In the early to mid 1960s junior rugby was played in Shannon under the guise of the Estates Cup, which was a competition held between the factories which had set up in the Shannon Industrial Estate. The competition proved very popular and interest grew amongst the local community, it was decided that due to the interest that a team should be formed locally.

A meeting was organised in 1974, and held in the Crossroads Pub in Drumgeely, where a team was duely formed. The first president elect was Cyril Kiely and the first team captain was Eamon Dooley, the next step was to gain affiliation to the IRFU. To achieve this, the team had to be proposed and seconded by two existing teams; the teams that filled this requirement were Young Munsters and Garryowen. The application was successful and in 1974 St Senans R.F.C. was formed.

The Early Years

In the development years of the club success was very limited; it was the late 1970s before the first junior trophy was won, this being the Culligan Cup. Following this there were many lean years for the club, until in the 1998/99 season in Thomond Park they won the Gleeson League; this momentous occasion was witnessed by a large supporter base from around the area. In the same year the team also won the Junior Development League, this resulted in promotion for the team to the Munster Junior League Division Three. That season was to become the most successful to date in the clubs history as they also went on to win, the Kiely Cup, the Culligan Cup, and finished runners up in the Webb Cup.

A New Decade

In the 1999/2000 season the team defeated Mallow RFC, in the final game of the season, to gain promotion to the Munster Junior League Division Two. They held their position in this league for the following season, and after defeating St Marys RFC in the final game of the 2001/02 season gained promotion to Munster Junior League Division One.

They held their position in this league until; following the loss of a number of their more experienced players they were relegated in 2006/07 back to Munster Junior League Division Two. Following this the team went through a period of transition, with a number of younger players came up through the ranks, and they consolidated their position in the league. The team was to taste success again in the 2007/08 season when they won the Munster Junior Plate, beating Clanwilliam of Tipperary 7-3 in the final on 13th April 2008.

Players of the Future

St Senans have a vibrant Age Grade and Mini Rugby Section, with teams competing from U8 up to U18s. This section is run by experienced coaches who have completed mini and foundation courses run and accredited by the Munster Branch. Regular coaching/training sessions are held weekly at the clubs grounds. New members will be made most welcome.In addition to its own coaches St Senans contribute to the funding of the Rugby Youth Development Officer, who visits local schools in the locality to introduce them to rugby and to introduce St Senans RFC to them as their local rugby club.

 

Past Presidents
1974/75 C.Kiely
1975/76 C.Kiely
1976/77 T.Clancy
1977/78 M.Kelly
1978/79 C.Kiely
1979/80 N. O'Loughlin
1980/81 N. O'Loughlin
1981/82 W. Mullins
1982/83 W. Mullins
1983/84 C. Kiely
1984/85 M. O'Callaghan
1985/86 M. O'Callaghan
1986/87 C. Kiely
1987/88 M. Kelly
1988/89 M. Kelly
1989/90 T. Clancy
1990/91 T. Clancy
1991/92 M. Kelly
1992/93 M. Kelly
1993/94 N. O'Loughlin
1994/95 N. O'Loughlin
1995/96 N. O'Loughlin
1996/97 J. Slattery
1997/98 J. Slattery
1998/99 J. Slattery
1999/00 T. McLoughlin
2000/01 T. McLoughlin
2001/02 M. Quinn
2002/03 M. Quinn
2003/04 J. Hoban
2004/05 J. Hoban
2005/06 B. Ryan
2006/07 B. Ryan
2007/08 K. Brady
2008/09 K. Brady
2009/10 M. Lillis
2010/11 M. Lillis
2011/12 D.Kelly
2012/13 D.Kelly
2013/14 J O'Donoghue
2014/15 J O'Donoghue
2015/16 J O'Donoghue
2016/17 J O'Donoghue
2017/18 D. Clancy
2018/19 D. Clancy
2019/20 D. Clancy
2020/21 D. Lee
2021/22 D. Lee

2022/23 D. Lee

2023/24 D. Lee

 

Past Captains
1974/75 E.Dooley
1975/76 E.Dooley
1976/77 J.Hoban
1977/78 F.Moran
1978/79 C.Carew
1979/80 F.Moran
1980/81 T. O'Donnell
1981/82 S. Chambers
1982/83 S. Chambers
1983/84 S. Chambers
1984/85 J. Elsely
1985/86 J. Elsely
1986/87 J. Ryan
1987/88 J. Elsely
1988/89 G. Hartigan
1989/90 M. Hickey
1990/91 M. Hickey
1991/92 J. Ryan
1992/93 G. Hartigan
1993/94 T. Halpin
1994/95 D. Fitzgerald
1995/96 J. O'Donoghue
1996/97 J. O'Gorman
1997/98 J. O'Donoghue
1998/99 P. Rowe
1999/00 D. Chaplin
2000/01 D. Chaplin
2001/02 D. Clinton
2002/03 D. Clinton
2003/04 D. Lee
2004/05 D. Lee
2005/06 T. O'Brien
2006/07 T. O'Brien
2007/08 S. Ryan
2008/09 S. Ryan and T. Skerritt
2009/10 I. Fitzgerald
2010/11 A. Skerritt
2011/12 A. Skerritt
2012/13 P. Ryan
2013/14 P. Ryan
2014/15 P. Ryan
2015/16 P. Ryan
2016/17 F. Lawlor
2017/18 M. Corbett
2018/19 M. Corbett
2019/20 D. Rowe
2020/21 D. Rowe

2021/22 D. Collins
2022/23 D. Collins

2023/24 D. Webb

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