Club Focus: Dolphin RFC

Dolphin RFC enter the coming season in fine fettle from the minis right up to the senior men’s side.

The club is one of the most well-known in Irish rugby and has consistently produced the highest calibre of players for both Munster and Ireland with the work of countless volunteers behind the scenes making it all possible.

The Musgrave Park-based club have come a long way from their humble beginnings in 1902 when three members of the Dolphin swimming Club formed a rugby club as a means of keeping their swimmers together and active during the long winter months.

And Dolphin are not resting on their laurels by any means with the addition of a women’s team last season adding another dimension to the club.

Feargus O’Donoghue is the Director of Rugby, Child Welfare Officer and First-Aider at the club and he works from the grassroots up placing the biggest emphasis on the playing members’ enjoyment of rugby.

“Every child has to enjoy it,” said O’Donoghue. “No child can be left going home upset so we’ve instilled that in our coaches. And through the guidance of the Munster Branch and the IRFU we’ve done the coaching courses and they’ve helped hugely in that. The development officers have been very good to us and we’ve insisted that there is one coach for every six kids. As a coach, there’s nothing better than seeing a fella that you would have coached on the television representing Munster or Ireland and that’s what it’s all about.”

The club can lose a number of talented players to the school system but this allows other players to fulfil their potential as O’Donoghue explains.

“The school side of things does impact. When you have five or six of your best players disappearing into the schools environment it can be difficult to hold onto your structure that’s there. This last year was quite good for us in that respect because our under-12s were in the league final three years ago and we lost nine players to rugby schools. But last season that particular age-group won the under-15 Cup so they regrouped, rebuilt and were able to do it without their nine top players which was a huge thing.

"And they’ve all stepped up to our under-18s, now there’s 40 involved in that set-up. After that we’ll bring them into the under-20 side and they could be playing senior rugby on any given week, within reason.”

O’Donoghue was heavily involved in the formation of the Dolphin women’s team last season and he can only see the club benefitting from the new side.

“Our first year didn’t go as smoothly as we wanted but if it went that smoothly there would be no challenge there. We’re trying to embrace it even more so this year. Some of the fixtures last season weren’t fulfilled for various reasons but the other teams were very understanding and supportive and they all said they’ve been there and done that.

“We’ll stick at it and it’s a slow burner but it should be encouraged in every club. The ladies have obviously proved on the bigger stage that they can compete and surpass the men. They always said to me when I was coaching ‘we have a higher pain threshold’ and they certainly live up to that.”

Club legend James Coughlan departed these shores for Pro D2 side Pau in the summer and O’Donoghue, who brought Coughlan to the club, had high praise for ‘Chucken’.

“There’s no substitute for heart and commitment and he has that in abundance – he has the heart of a lion. The best is yet to come from him as a player. When he was here he’d come out at the drop of a hat for any age-group and the ladies and I know he’s going to be a great coach.

“We’re currently organising our tour for this year and the suggestion has come up that we head to Pau.
Everyone is backing that one, just to be over there and support him and say thanks. Once a legend, always a legend. The French will love him, give him a few months over there and they’ll be calling him Le James! It’s just a pity he’s left Munster, I couldn’t speak highly enough of him.”

In order to keep the production line of fine players coming through the ranks, the club encourages past players, captains and parents to get involved with the coaching. And O’Donoghue is delighted with the appointment of Anthony Foley and his home-based coaching staff at Munster Rugby.

“The Munster branch having the courage to give our home-grown players and coaches a go is fantastic and they’re setting a great example for us to follow. And they’re guys who you can actually talk to, which is great,” he added.