Corca Dhuibhne Welcomes Munster Stars

Munster’s Denis Leamy and Christian Cullen received a huge welcome in Dingle when they recently visited along with the Heinekn Cup. The visit was organised by the Munster Rugby Development Office

Thanks to the support of Declan Kidney and Garrett Fitzgerald, Munster players Denis Leamy and Christian Cullen visited Dingle on Sunday 10th September 2006. They were met by over 3000 people, eager to view the Heineken Cup, who came out join the parade around the town. Danno O Keeffe of Corca Dhuibhne RFC and myself organized the visit.

The visit was a huge success, receiving media coverage from regional papers, as well as the BBC who covered the parade on Sunday.

The visit started with a lunch in the Dingle Scellig Hotel where the club presented cheques to the Cystic Fibrosis Association and to the IRFU Injured Players Trust. This cheque was accepted by Mick Galwey. Denis Leamy, Christian Cullen and Mick Galwey partook in a questions and answers session hosted by Billy Keane of Listowel, before leaving to take part in the parade.

The following Monday and Tuesday Mick Galwey, five members of Corca Dhuibhne RFC and I visited all the schools in the surrounding area from Dingle, from Ballyferriter to Ventry. All schools are situated in the Gaeltacht area and were very appreciative of the honour of the Heineken Cup visit to their school. Thanks to six years of education in a Gaelscoil I am a fluent Irish speaker and was able to promote the cup and the game through Irish in all the Gaeltacht schools.

I feel this visit has benefited us greatly in our endeavors to promote the game in non traditional areas and our other RDOs will now follow suit with similar visits particularly in Co. Waterford and Co. Clare.

I really enjoyed my three days with the club, their hospitality was second to none, and the warm reception we received in each school made a very hectic schedule worthwhile.

I was very proud to be able to promote the cup on behalf of the team and Munster Rugby and have returned from West Kerry with a host of new friends.

Le Gach Dea Gui

Catherine Carroll

Regional Development Officer